Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] lepruse, from leprous

[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English] lepruse, from leprous

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: a chronic infectious [[disease]] caused by a mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting especially the [[skin]] and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual [[paralysis]], wasting of [[muscle]], and production of deformities —called also Hansen's disease

*1: a chronic infectious [[disease]] caused by a mycobacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) affecting especially the [[skin]] and peripheral nerves and characterized by the formation of nodules or macules that enlarge and spread accompanied by loss of sensation with eventual [[paralysis]], wasting of [[muscle]], and production of deformities —called also Hansen's disease

*2: a [[morally]] or [[spiritually]] harmful [[influence]]

*2: a [[morally]] or [[spiritually]] harmful [[influence]]

==Description==

==Description==

'''Leprosy''' or Hansen's disease (HD), is a chronic [[disease]] caused by the bacteria [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_leprae Mycobacterium leprae] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_lepromatosis Mycobacterium lepromatosis]. Named after physician [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Armauer_Hansen Gerhard Armauer Hansen], leprosy is primarily a granulomatous [[disease]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_nervous_system peripheral nerves] and mucosa of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_respiratory_tract upper respiratory tract]; skin lesions are the primary external sign. Left untreated, leprosy can be [[progressive]], causing permanent damage to the [[skin]], [[nerves]], limbs and eyes. Contrary to [[folklore]], leprosy does not cause body parts to fall off, although they can become numb or diseased as a result of [[infection]]; infection results in tissue loss, so fingers and toes become shortened and deformed as the cartilage is absorbed into the body.

'''Leprosy''' or Hansen's disease (HD), is a chronic [[disease]] caused by the bacteria [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_leprae Mycobacterium leprae] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_lepromatosis Mycobacterium lepromatosis]. Named after physician [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerhard_Armauer_Hansen Gerhard Armauer Hansen], leprosy is primarily a granulomatous [[disease]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_nervous_system peripheral nerves] and mucosa of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_respiratory_tract upper respiratory tract]; skin lesions are the primary external sign. Left untreated, leprosy can be [[progressive]], causing permanent damage to the [[skin]], [[nerves]], limbs and eyes. Contrary to [[folklore]], leprosy does not cause body parts to fall off, although they can become numb or diseased as a result of [[infection]]; infection results in tissue loss, so fingers and toes become shortened and deformed as the cartilage is absorbed into the body.

Although the mode of transmission of Hansen's disease remains uncertain, most investigators [[think]] that M. leprae is usually spread from [[person]] to person in respiratory droplets. The minimum [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubation_period incubation period] reported is as short as a few weeks and this is based on the very occasional occurrence of leprosy among young [[infants]]. The maximum incubation period reported is as long as 30 years, or over, as observed among war veterans known to have been exposed for short periods in endemic areas but otherwise living in non-endemic areas. It is generally agreed that the [[average]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubation_period incubation period] is between three and five years. Leprosy is now known to be neither [[sexually]] transmitted nor highly infectious after treatment. Approximately 95% of people are [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_immunity naturally immune] and sufferers are no longer infectious after as little as 2 weeks of treatment.

Although the mode of transmission of Hansen's disease remains uncertain, most investigators [[think]] that M. leprae is usually spread from [[person]] to person in respiratory droplets. The minimum [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubation_period incubation period] reported is as short as a few weeks and this is based on the very occasional occurrence of leprosy among young [[infants]]. The maximum incubation period reported is as long as 30 years, or over, as observed among war veterans known to have been exposed for short periods in endemic areas but otherwise living in non-endemic areas. It is generally agreed that the [[average]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubation_period incubation period] is between three and five years. Leprosy is now known to be neither [[sexually]] transmitted nor highly infectious after treatment. Approximately 95% of people are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_immunity naturally immune] and sufferers are no longer infectious after as little as 2 weeks of treatment.

Leprosy has affected [[humanity]] for over 4,000 years, and was well-recognized in the [[civilizations]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_China ancient China], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India India]. [[DNA]] taken from the shrouded remains of a man [[discovered]] in a tomb next to the Old City of [[Jerusalem]] shows him to be the earliest [[human]] proven to have [[suffered]] from leprosy. In 1995, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] (WHO) estimated that between 2 and 3 million people were permanently disabled because of leprosy at that time. In the past 20 years, 15 million people worldwide have been cured of leprosy. Although the forced [[quarantine]] or [[segregation]] of patients is unnecessary in places where adequate treatments are available, many leper colonies still remain around the world in countries such as India (where there are still more than 1,000 leper colonies), China, Romania, Egypt, Nepal, Somalia, Liberia, Vietnam, and Japan. Leprosy was once believed to be highly contagious and [[sexually]] transmitted, and was treated with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element) mercury]—all of which applied to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis syphilis] which was first described in 1530. It is now thought that many early cases of leprosy could have been syphilis.

Leprosy has affected [[humanity]] for over 4,000 years, and was well-recognized in the [[civilizations]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_China ancient China], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India India]. [[DNA]] taken from the shrouded remains of a man [[discovered]] in a tomb next to the Old City of [[Jerusalem]] shows him to be the earliest [[human]] proven to have [[suffered]] from leprosy. In 1995, the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] (WHO) estimated that between 2 and 3 million people were permanently disabled because of leprosy at that time. In the past 20 years, 15 million people worldwide have been cured of leprosy. Although the forced [[quarantine]] or [[segregation]] of patients is unnecessary in places where adequate treatments are available, many leper colonies still remain around the world in countries such as India (where there are still more than 1,000 leper colonies), China, Romania, Egypt, Nepal, Somalia, Liberia, Vietnam, and Japan. Leprosy was once believed to be highly contagious and [[sexually]] transmitted, and was treated with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element) mercury]—all of which applied to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syphilis syphilis] which was first described in 1530. It is now thought that many early cases of leprosy could have been syphilis.

The age-old [[social]] [[stigma]], in other [[words]], leprosy stigma [[associated]] with the advanced form of leprosy lingers in many areas, and remains a major obstacle to self-reporting and early treatment. Effective treatment for leprosy appeared in the late 1930s with the introduction of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dapsone dapsone] and its derivatives. Leprosy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_(shape) bacilli] resistant to dapsone soon evolved and, due to overuse of dapsone, became widespread. It was not until the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the early 1980s that the disease could be diagnosed and treated successfully within the community.[20]

The age-old [[social]] [[stigma]], in other [[words]], leprosy stigma [[associated]] with the advanced form of leprosy lingers in many areas, and remains a major obstacle to self-reporting and early treatment. Effective treatment for leprosy appeared in the late 1930s with the introduction of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dapsone dapsone] and its derivatives. Leprosy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_(shape) bacilli] resistant to dapsone soon evolved and, due to overuse of dapsone, became widespread. It was not until the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the early 1980s that the disease could be diagnosed and treated successfully within the community.[20]

MDT for multibacillary leprosy consists of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifampicin rifampicin], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dapsone dapsone], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clofazimine clofazimine] taken over 12 months. Dosages adjusted appropriately for [[children]] and adults are available in all [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_Health_Centre Primary Health Centres] in the form of blister packages. Single dose MDT for single lesion leprosy consists of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifampicin rifampicin], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofloxacin ofloxacin], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minocycline minocycline]. The move towards single dose treatment strategies has reduced the prevalence of [[disease]] in some regions since prevalence is dependent on duration of treatment.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy]

MDT for multibacillary leprosy consists of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifampicin rifampicin], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dapsone dapsone], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clofazimine clofazimine] taken over 12 months. Dosages adjusted appropriately for [[children]] and adults are available in all [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_Health_Centre Primary Health Centres] in the form of blister packages. Single dose MDT for single lesion leprosy consists of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rifampicin rifampicin], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofloxacin ofloxacin], and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minocycline minocycline]. The move towards single dose treatment strategies has reduced the prevalence of [[disease]] in some regions since prevalence is dependent on duration of treatment.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprosy]

[[Category: Health]]

[[Category: Health]]