6 strange facts about leprosy you may not know yet

Leprosy ( Leprosy or "leprosy" ) is a chronic systemic infection caused by the bacilli. Leprosy can cause symptoms of paralysis of the legs, arms and legs, and loss of sensation on the skin, especially in the hands and feet. However, the current reality is that the disease is less extreme and completely treatable.

Photo source: National Museum of Health and Medicine / Contributed by Major Buker OSG [Office of the Surgeon General]

Recently, leprosy is also called Hansen 's disease , it is caused by bacteriophage bacteria ( Mycobacterium leprae ) - non-hairless acid-resistant bacteria without shells, which do not produce spores, can be located separately but often in bundles parallel or in clusters. The disease causes skin damage and permanent nerve damage, but there is a misconception that causes paralysis of parts of the human body.

Here are 6 strange facts about leprosy that you may not know.

1. In the US there are still many cases of leprosy

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Although leprosy is often thought to be an " ancient " disease , people in the world can still be infected and infected. In September 2016, there was a case of leprosy reported to be a student in California and a few cases appeared each year in the southern United States , including Florida, Louisiana and Texas.

According to the US National Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) Program ( NHDP ), " In 2014 alone, there were 175 cases of leprosy in the United States. Normally, there are about 150 to 200 cases of disease each year. room ".

2. The leprosy is completely curable

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Isolation immediately after diagnosis of leprosy can " destroy " the patient. However, now this evil monster disease can be easily treated with a combination of antibiotics.

" However, this treatment will take a long time to" finish ": Patients diagnosed with leprosy may need to take antibiotics for about 6 months to two years " - according to Trung. CDC's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CCC ) said.

According to NHDP , when patients start taking antibiotics to treat leprosy, they may not spread the bacteria to others for several days. Because antibiotics quickly kill most bacteria that cause leprosy and a few remaining bacteria are not enough to infect others. But if the treatment process stops too early, these bacteria can continue to infect as often.

" Deadly bacterial infections may exist in the body a few years after treatment ends and dead bacteria do not pose a risk of re-infection " - NHDP said.

3. Tatu species can get leprosy

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The reason why the leprosy cases are more common in some parts of the world - is because of a defined animal living in those areas. " Nine-banded armadillos " ( dasypus novemcinctus ) - a mammal that has a thick outer shell, also known as a tatu .

In fact, the armadillo animal is the medium containing the bacteria that causes leprosy - the cause of leprosy and transmission of bacteria to humans. Researchers believe that humans have transmitted leprosy to armadillo animals for about 500 years, and a study from 2011 confirmed that armadillo could infect humans.

However, lovers of other animals do not need to be too scared because the armadillo is just another animal other than humans - known to be leprosy.

4. Most people are immune to leprosy

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Yes, leprosy is an infectious disease - people can become infected if they " breathe " in the bacteria. However, one of the reasons unpopular leprosy is "an estimated 95% of people are immune to leprosy " - NHDP announced.

5. There is still a "leprosy colony" in the United States .

Photo source: J. Stephen Conn / flickr.

. But people with leprosy are no longer forced to live there.

" From 1866 to 1969, people with leprosy were transferred to Hawaii's Kalaupapa peninsula, located on Molokai Island " - according to the National Park Service ( NPS ). Today that area is a national park.

" Over hundreds of years, more than 8,000 people, mostly Hawaiians, have died in Kalaupapa " - NPS said. " Although people with leprosy have been free to leave that area since 1969, there are still many people who stay because it is their homeland " - according to CNN. " Leprosy patients still live there despite being cured " - according to NPS.

" As of September 2015, 16 patients with Hansen's disease still live in the Kalaupapa Peninsula " - CNN reported.

6. Current leprosy is not the same as what is written in the Bible

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Although leprosy is also mentioned in the Bible, the references are not exactly what people with leprosy currently experience.

" Instead, the word" leprosy "mentioned in the Bible is translated from a Hebrew word in Hebrew, so it only means" dirty. " For people, clothes or even buildings, " said Nepal Leprosy Trust .

When these words appear in the Bible in the reference section for everyone, it appears to refer to skin diseases.

NHDP also notes that Hansen's disease is not " the Old Testament leprosy ".