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Many myths surround the
ancient disease of leprosy. Understanding what it is
NOT, is essential to having a clear understanding of
what it IS.
• Leprosy is not a curse of god.
• Leprosy is not hereditary. No child is ever
born with leprosy.
• Leprosy is not incurable.
Leprosy is a disease like
any other disease and is curable at ALL stages. Early
detection and regular treatment prevents deformities.
Contrary to popular belief, leprosy is one of the least
contagious of all the communicable diseases with only
15% to 20% of cases being contagious, and even these
can be rendered safe with treatment. It is not totally
clear how leprosy is spread although all sources agree
that prolonged, close contact is necessary for contracting
the disease.
Leprosy thrives in conditions of low nutrition, lack
of hygiene, and insanitary conditions. Thus in overcrowded
slums, the incidence of leprosy is much higher than
in other establishments. However leprosy is occasionally
contracted by wealthy people as well; unlike the people
living in the slums, they can afford the multi-drug
therapy to cure the disease at the earliest stages.
The bacteria found in the affected parts of all leprosy
patients are known as mycobaterium leprae. To date,
no 100% reliable anti-leprosy vaccine has been discovered,
although considerable research is being done in this
area.
Mycobaterium leprae attacks the various nervous systems
of the body and where these sensory nerves are damaged,
the patient loses tactile sensation. The bacteria seems
to prefer the body's extremeties and this results in
hands and feet being particularly vulnerable to burns
and other injuries. Leprosy-affected people lose the
sensation of pain and will take a pot off the fire with
their bare hands or won't treat cuts to their feet after
walking around barefoot all day. Most of them would
be unable to afford proper care of the injury even if
they did notice it in the first place. Lack of treatment
results in damaged tissue that eventually dies. Tragically,
this often leaves doctors with no other option than
to amputate.
Leprosy is first detected by light patches on the skin
that are tingling or numb. If treatment is started at
this point, the disease will never progress further
than this, and the depigmentation and numbness will
clear up entirely. A big part of the tragedy of this
disease is in the stigma that surrounds it. This stigma
is not confined to the uneducated part of the population.
Government employees have been known to lose their jobs
the moment word leaks out about a "light patch"
on their skin. This is the reason that leprosy colonies
have prevailed in the past and continue to exist today.
Leprosy patients find acceptance amongst fellow sufferers
whereas society at large treats them as outcasts.
For more information on
leprosy, please visit these sites:
World Health Organization (WHO)
www.who.int/lep
New York State Health Department Leprosy Facts
Sheet
www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/consumer/leprosy.htm
Information on Leprosy
web.raex.com/~bbeechy/leprosy.html
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