Leprosy

=__Leprosy __=

__Root Causes:__
 * The main cause of leprosy is the bacteria Mycobacterium Leprae. This bacteria is mostly found in warm tropical countries, its intracellular, pleomorphic, and acid-fast.

__Affected Cell types/tissues/organs/systems__:
 * Leprosy affects mainly the skin cells, the epidermis and dermis.

__Historical of Leprosy:__
 * Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen discovered the Mycobacterium Leprae in 1876. He was searching in the skin of patients with leprosy and discovered this bacterium.


 * Leprosy was recognized in many ancient civilizations like China, Egypt, and India dating all the way back to 600 BC.
 * 1921, the U.S established that nations first leprosarium in Louisiana in order to institutionalize patients with leprosy for experiments and further research.

__Common Symptoms:__ __Standard Treatments:__
 * Skin lesions
 * Numbness
 * Muscle Weakness
 * Lesions have decreased sensation to touch, pain, or heat.
 * The lesions are lighter than your skin color.

Inflammatory mediations such as Aspirin, Prednisone, and Thalidomide are given to control the inflammation and reduce the discomfort. Antibiotics such as Dapsone, Rifampin, Clofazamine, Macrolides and Minocycline are given to kill the bacteria. In many cases more than one antibiotic is given to the patient.

__Current Research:__

The National Hansen’s Disease Research program which is located at the Louisiana Sate University School of Veterinary Medicine is currently working on Mycobacterium Leprae genomics, strain typing, molecular epidemiology, mechanisms of nerve damage, mechanisms of host resistance and the study of its affects on armadillos. The research that is being done at this university “ has led to the development and implementation of many of the newer sophisticated cell and molecular biology tools used to study human disease.” (Health Resources and Services Administration)

media type="custom" key="24656280"

__Flow Chart__

__References:__


 * __[]__


 * Bedford, Juliet. "Perceptions of Leprosy in the Orang Asli (Indigenous Minority) of Peninsular Malaysia." (2013): 193-203.


 * __[]__