Leprosy Overview
Learn About Leprosy
Leprosy, also called Hansen disease, is a disorder known since ancient times. It is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae and is contagious, which means that it can be passed from person to person. It is usually contracted by breathing airborne droplets from affected individuals' coughs and sneezes, or by coming into contact with their nasal fluids. However, it is not highly transmissible, and approximately 95 percent of individuals who are exposed to Mycobacterium leprae never develop leprosy. The infection can be contracted at any age, and signs and symptoms can take anywhere from several months to 20 years to appear.
Combinations of many variations in genes involved in the immune system affect a person's likelihood of contracting Mycobacterium leprae infection if exposed to the bacteria. Gene variations affecting the immune system also help determine the form of leprosy that individuals develop if the Mycobacterium leprae infection takes hold.
About 250,000 new cases of leprosy are diagnosed every year. The condition occurs worldwide, but is most common in India, Brazil, and other areas with warm climates. Between 100 and 250 new cases per year occur in the United States.
Leprosy is not inherited, but people can inherit an increased risk of contracting leprosy if they are exposed to the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. Susceptibility tends to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown.
Euzenir Sarno-Nunes practices in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Sarno-Nunes is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Leprosy. Their top areas of expertise are Leprosy, Erythema Nodosum, Neuralgia, and Chronic Polyradiculoneuritis.
Diana Lockwood practices in London, United Kingdom. Ms. Lockwood is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Leprosy. Her top areas of expertise are Erythema Nodosum, Leprosy, Leishmaniasis, and Neuralgia.
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Robert Modlin is a Dermatologist in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Modlin is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leprosy. His top areas of expertise are Leprosy, Acne, Psoriasis, and Atopic Dermatitis.
Summary: Contact with Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) infected individuals is a risk factor for development of leprosy. Thus, detection of asymtomatically M. leprae infected individuals, allowing informed decision making on who needs treatment at a preclinical stage, is vital to interrupt transmission and can help prevent leprosy. In a previous field trial the BCG vaccine was applied alone and combined wi...
Summary: This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of adjunct metformin added to standard-of-care multi-drug therapy (MDT) in patients with multibacillary leprosy, and explore its effects on immunological endpoints. A double-blind, placebo controlled proof-of-concept trial will be performed in which patients with newly diagnosed multibacillary leprosy will be randomized (1:1) to met...
Published Date: February 01, 2018
Published By: National Institutes of Health