Leprosy :: essays research papers

LeprosyLeprosy or Hansens disease, is a chronic, infectious disease thatmainly affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves. A rod shaped bacillusnamed Mycobacterium leprea, causes the virus. Mycobacterium leprea is very(prenominal)similar to the bacillus that causes tuberculosis. The reason Leprosy is alsoknown as Hansens disease, is because it was first identified in 1874 by aNorwegian physician named Gerhard Henrik Armeur Hansen.Leprosy appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In the bible Leprosywas not the disease that is recognized now, but as various physical conditionsthat were nothing like the disease. A punishment from God was what theseconditions were considered to be. The victim was said to be in a state ofdefilement. This Hebrew term was translated as lepros, which the word leprosycame from.The diseases potential origin was the Indus Valley that is located inIndia. Leprosy spread from there to the Mediterranean region and North Africa,then all of Europe was affect ed. This disease is much slight common now, as theworld case count has dropped below 1 million. During 1995 about 530 000 newcases of leprosy were discovered. It is obvious that third world countries haveway much cases as India, Indonesia, and Myanmar account for almost 70% of thecases describe in the world. 5500 know cases of Leprosy still exist in the US,and about 200 cases a reported annually.Tests to levy leprosy in experimental animals, have not beensuccessful as of yet. Though the organism can be grown in Armadillos, severallaboratories have been reported cultivating leprosy in the test tube.Loss of angiotensin-converting enzyme in a patch of skin is often the first symptom thatLeprosy displays. In the lepromatous form, large areas of the skin may becomeinfiltrated. The mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and throat may be invadedby large numbers of the organism. Because of damage to the nerves, muscles maybecome paralyzed. The loss of sensation that accompanies the clo se ofnerves may result in unnoticed injuries. These may result in secondaryinfections, the replacement of healthy tissue with scar tissue, and thedestruction of bone. The classic disfigurements of Leprosy, such as loss ofextremities from bone damage or the so-called leoline facies, a lionlikeappearance with thick nodulous skin, are signs of advanced disease, now