Essay/Term paper: Leprosy

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Science Reports

Leprosy


Mike Wallis

Leprosy or Hansen"s disease, is a chronic, infectious disease that
mainly affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves. A rod shaped bacillus
named Mycobacterium leprea, causes the virus. Mycobacterium leprea is very
similar to the bacillus that causes tuberculosis. The reason Leprosy is also
known as Hansen"s disease, is because it was first identified in 1874 by a
Norwegian physician named Gerhard Henrik Armeur Hansen.

Leprosy appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In the bible Leprosy
was not the disease that is recognized now, but as various physical conditions
that were nothing like the disease. A punishment from God was what these
conditions were considered to be. The victim was said to be in a state of
defilement. This Hebrew term was translated as lepros, which the word leprosy
came from.

The disease"s probable origin was the Indus Valley that is located in
India. Leprosy spread from there to the Mediterranean region and North Africa,
then all of Europe was affected. This disease is much less common now, as the
world case count has dropped below 1 million. During 1995 about 530 000 new
cases of leprosy were discovered. It is obvious that third world countries have
way more cases as India, Indonesia, and Myanmar account for almost 70% of the
cases reported in the world. 5500 know cases of Leprosy still exist in the US,
and about 200 cases a reported annually.

Tests to produce leprosy in experimental animals, have not been
successful as of yet. Though the organism can be grown in Armadillos, several
laboratories have been reported cultivating leprosy in the test tube.

Loss of sensation in a patch of skin is often the first symptom that
Leprosy displays. In the lepromatous form, large area"s of the skin may become
infiltrated. The mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat may be invaded
by large numbers of the organism. Because of damage to the nerves, muscles may
become paralyzed. The loss of sensation that accompanies the destruction of
nerves may result in unnoticed injuries. These may result in secondary
infections, the replacement of healthy tissue with scar tissue, and the
destruction of bone. The classic disfigurements of Leprosy, such as loss of
extremities from bone damage or the so-called leoline facies, a lionlike
appearance with thick nodulous skin, are signs of advanced disease, now
preventable with early treatment.

For many years the use of chaulmoogra oil was used for the treatment for
Leprosy. Today drugs such as dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine are used
alongside a healthy diet. If killed too quickly, bacilli may cause a systematic
reaction. The reaction is called erythema nodosum leprosum, or ENL may cause
progressive impairment of the nerves. Corticosteroids control such reactions.

Of all contagious diseases Leprosy is maybe the least infectious. New
patients are rarely ever quarantined. Most patients are treated on an
outpatient basis. A Leprosy vaccine is currently under development.