| Borderline lepromatous leprosy | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Infectious disease  |
Borderline lepromatous leprosy is a skin condition with numerous, symmetrical skin lesions. [1] :346
| Borderline lepromatous leprosy | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Infectious disease |
Borderline lepromatous leprosy is a skin condition with numerous, symmetrical skin lesions. [1] :346
Armadillos are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. Nine extinct genera and 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of different environments.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damage may result in a lack of ability to feel pain, which can lead to the loss of parts of a person's extremities from repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. An infected person may also experience muscle weakness and poor eyesight. Leprosy symptoms may begin within one year, but, for some people, symptoms may take 20 years or more to occur.
A leper colony, lazarette, leprosarium, or lazar house was historically a place to isolate people with leprosy. The term lazaretto, which is derived from the name of the biblical figure Saint Lazarus, can refer to isolation sites, which were at some time also "colonies", or places where lepers lived or were sent. Many of the first lazarettes were operated by Christian monastic houses. Leper hospitals exist throughout the world to treat those afflicted with leprosy, especially in Africa, Brazil, China and India.
Mycobacterium leprae is a bacterium that causes leprosy, also known as "Hansen’s disease", which is a chronic infectious disease that damages the peripheral nerves and targets the skin, eyes, nose, and muscles. Leprosy can occur at all ages from infancy to elderly, but is curable in which treatments can avert disabilities. It was discovered in 1873 by the Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, who was searching for the bacteria in the skin nodules of patients with leprosy. It was the first bacterium to be identified as causing disease in humans.
Pityriasis alba is a skin condition, a type of dermatitis, commonly seen in children and young adults as dry, fine-scaled, pale patches on the face. It is self-limiting and usually only requires use of moisturizer creams.
A leprostatic agent is a drug that interferes with proliferation of the bacterium that causes leprosy.
Madarosis is a condition that results in the loss of eyelashes, and sometimes eyebrows. The term "madarosis" is derived from the ancient Greek "madaros", meaning "bald". It originally was a disease of only losing eyelashes but it currently is the loss of both eyelashes and eyebrows. Eyebrows and eyelashes are both important in the prevention of bacteria and other foreign objects from entering the eye. A majority of patients with madarosis have leprosy, and it was reported that 76% of patients with varying types of leprosy had madarosis.
Acroosteolysis is resorption of the distal bony phalanges. Acroosteolysis has two patterns of resorption in adults: diffuse and bandlike.
Granuloma multiforme is a cutaneous condition most commonly seen in central Africa, and rarely elsewhere, characterized by skin lesions that are on the upper trunk and arms in sun-exposed areas. It may be confused with tuberculoid leprosy, with which it has clinical similarities. The condition was first noted by Gosset in the 1940s, but it was not until 1964 that Leiker coined the term to describe "a disease resembling leprosy" in his study in Nigeria.
Tuberculoid leprosy is a form of leprosy characterized by solitary skin lesions that are asymmetrically distributed with few lesions and well demarcated edges. There is also early and marked nerve damage. It tends to heal spontaneously. Tuberculoid leprosy is characterized by the formation of epithelioid cell granulomas with a large number of epithelioid cells. In this form of leprosy Mycobacterium leprae are either absent from the lesion or occur in very small numbers. This type of leprosy is the most benign and the least contagious.
Borderline tuberculoid leprosy is a cutaneous condition similar to tuberculoid leprosy except the skin lesions are smaller and more numerous.
Borderline leprosy is a cutaneous skin condition with numerous skin lesions that are red irregularly shaped plaques.
Lepromatous leprosy is a form of leprosy characterized by pale macules in the skin.
Histoid leprosy is a skin condition, a rare form of multibacillary leprosy.
Mycobacterium lepromatosis is a bacterium that, along with Mycobacterium leprae, causes leprosy. It was only recently discovered, in 2008. Analysis of its 16S rRNA gene confirms that the species is distinct from Mycobacterium leprae.
Leprosy stigma is a type of social stigma, a strong negative feeling towards a person with leprosy relating to their moral status in society. It is also referred to as leprosy-related stigma, leprostigma, and stigma of leprosy. Since ancient times leprosy instilled the practice of fear and avoidance in many societies because of the associated physical disfigurement and lack of understanding behind its cause. Because of the historical trauma the word "leprosy" invokes, the disease is now referred to as Hansen's disease, named after Gerhard Armauer Hansen who discovered Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterial agent that causes Hansen's disease. Those who have suffered from Hansen's disease describe the impact of social stigma as far worse than the physical manifestations despite it being only mildly contagious and pharmacologically curable. This sentiment is echoed by Weis and Ramakrishna, who noted that “the impact of the meaning of the disease may be a greater source of suffering than symptoms of the disease”.
Jesus cleansing a leper is one of the miracles of Jesus. The story is found in all three of the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 8:1–4, Mark 1:40–45 and Luke 5:12–16.
Kensuke Mitsuda was a Japanese leprologist and director of the Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium (1914–1931) and the National Sanatorium Nagashima Aiseien (1931–1957). He had been at the frontier of leprosy policy of Japan. He was given the Order of Cultural Merits (1951) and Damien-Dutton Award (1961). He has been the cause of admiration from one side, and the target of criticism from the other.
Hydnocarpus wightianus or chaulmoogra is a tree in the Achariaceae family. Hydnocarpus wightiana seed oil has been widely used in Indian medicine and Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of leprosy. It entered early Western medicine in the nineteenth century before the era of sulfonamides and other antibiotics for the treatment of several skin diseases and leprosy. The oil was prescribed for leprosy as a mixture suspended in gum or as an emulsion.
Kiritkumar Mansukhlal Acharya is an Indian dermatologist, known for his services for the eradication of leprosy. The Government of India honoured him, in 2014, by awarding him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for his contributions to the fields of medicine and social service.
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