History of Leprosy |origin of leprosy | stigma | full knowledge 2022

Hello friends, in this article, I will talk about leprosy disease, which is such a disease. In this article, I will talk about the history of leprosy disease, the Origin Of Leprosy and the stigma of Leprosy, Who discovered mycobacterium leprae, What is leprosy called today, World leprosy day, How world leprosy day is celebrated in India, the Current situation of leprosy in India, Leprosy case in India.

People have developed misunderstandings (social stigmas) about Leprosy, believing it is the result of past birth actions or the vengeance of gods and goddesses. This is simply incorrect thinking; leprosy is not a sickness of untouchability, nor is it the outcome of wicked conduct; it is an illness like any other, and treatment is quite possible. Leprosy is not a contagious disease it is completely curable with MDT ( Multidrug therapy).

In this post, I will provide you with information about the whole history of leprosy (such as when it first appeared, how it was treated, and how it has improved), and then in my subsequent articles, I will share all of the information linked to leprosy with you. So, let us embark on a journey of health-related knowledge.

Note: Leprosy is not a contagious disease it is completely curable with MDT (Multidrug therapy).

History of Leprosy | what does leprosy came from| Origin of Leprosy: –

Leprosy began in East Africa or the Near East, and it spread along human migration routes, including trade routes for goods and slaves. The four strains of M. leprae are named after the geographical areas where they are most common.

• East Africa, Asia, and the Pacific are the first strains.

• Ethiopia, Malawi, Nepal/North India, and New Caledonia are all part of strain 2.

• Europe, North Africa, and the Americas make up Strain 3; and

• West Africa and the Caribbean are strains 4 and 5.

The stigma in leprosy | History of Leprosy:

In the beginning, there were a lot of stigmas spread among the people regarding leprosy. people thought that leprosy (Hansen’s disease) was interpreted as a curse of the gods or the punishment of sin. People used to run away from whoever got leprosy. Initially, there was no treatment for leprosy. Any man who had leprosy would become handicapped and eventually die with this disease. People hated those who had leprosy and threw them out of the house. Because of this, people who got leprosy had to live in leprosy colonies under compulsion. In a way, they were socially boycotted. People used to think that leprosy would spread even by touching it. Leprosy spread by touch. (It is a social stigma)

Along with time, education, and due to the awareness campaigns, the stigma has reduced significantly among the people and people started to understand that Leprosy is neither the result of bad deeds nor is it a disease which spread by touching, it is just a disease like other diseases and its treatment is completely possible and now people are suffering from leprosy to their family members, keeping them in their essence and not discriminating against them.

Who discovered mycobacterium leprae? | Why was leprosy changed Hansen’s disease | History of Leprosy:

Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen discovered Mycobacterium leprae, a slow-growing microbe, as the cause of the disease in 1873. Under the microscope, he saw the leprosy bacillus and showed that leprosy was an infectious disease, not a curse. The condition is sometimes known as Hansen’s disease in honour of this outstanding researcher.

What is leprosy called today | History of Leprosy:

Because Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen discovered the leprosy bacillus, the disease is now known as Hansen’s disease. Dapsone was a glimmer of hope when it was originally developed in 1940. It was first used in the treatment of leprosy all over the world. However, dapsone was not a perfect leprosy cure. It was required of the sufferer to consume it for the remainder of his life. making it tough to comply.

It was a challenging challenge to convince Dapsone to feed a patient for the rest of his life. As a result, in 1950, M. Leprae developed resistance to dapsone, which was the only known anti-leprosy drug at the time. The light of hope that had been rekindled was destroyed once more. Then, in 1960, the antibiotics Rifampicin and Clofazimine were discovered and added to the therapy protocol. And it was nothing short of a miracle. This treatment routine was discovered to be effective in killing M. Leprae.

WHO ESTABLISHES MDT IN 1981. Dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine were used in combination. For paucibacillary cases, the treatment lasts six months, and for multibacillary cases, it lasts a year. MDT kills pathogens while healing the patients. MDT has been offered free of charge by WHO since 1995. Free MDT was first financed by The Nippon Foundation, and since 2000, it has been provided through a partnership with Novartis, which has been extended until at least 2025. MDT has been used to treat more than 16 million leprosy patients in the 20 years since it was first introduced. For more detail of drug history.

World leprosy day 2021 | History of Leprosy:

The last Sunday in January is designated as World Leprosy Day. In 1953, French humanitarian Raoul Follereau chose the date to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s death on January 30, 1948. (because Mahatma Gandhi had dedicated his entire life to the service of leprosy people.)

On World Leprosy Day, awareness is spread among the public that leprosy is not a contagious disease. It does not spread by living together, eating together, or shaking hands. The treatment of this disease is completely possible with MDT. 

How world leprosy day is celebrated in India?| History of Leprosy:

World Leprosy Day is celebrated as a fortnight day from 30th January to 13th February in India. During these days Awareness is spread among people about Leprosy all over India, and the stigma spread in the people is removed and people are told that leprosy is not caused by shaking hands, eating together, living together. people are told about the general symptoms of leprosy. People are told that leprosy is a disease like other diseases and its treatment is completely possible with MDT Which is completely free and available at every government hospital.

Although leprosy is treatable, it can inflict long-term physical limitations and damage to a person’s nerves, skin, eyes, and limbs if left untreated. As a result, early diagnosis and treatment with the MDT remain the best option for curing leprosy and preventing long-term nerve damage, deformity, and disability, as well as breaking the leprosy transmission chain. and to attain the aim of no leprosy-related impairment in children.

Current situation of leprosy in India| History of Leprosy:

Since the development of multidrug therapy (MDT) in 1982, the global leprosy situation has altered dramatically, with more than 5 million cases in the mid-1980s falling to less than 200,000 by the end of 2016. In India, the programme reduced the prevalence rate from 57.8 per 10,000 in 1983 to less than 1/10,000 by the end of 2005, when India raised the World Health Organization (WHO) target of eradication as a public health issue. The arrival was announced The National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) and the Global Leprosy Programme made important adjustments to the programme after 2005 to prevent leprosy from spreading to children and causing impairment. For more detail of the current situation of Leprosy in India.

Leprosy cases in India | History of Leprosy:

 The world is getting closer to being free of leprosy. Between 2016 and 2018, there were around 6000 fewer new leprosy cases recorded globally. Globally, 1,84,212 new cases have been documented as of the end of 2018, with a prevalence rate of 0.2/10,000. In India, the prevalence rate is 0.57 per 10,000. (March 2020).

The number of newly reported cases in India, the world’s most impacted country, has dropped to about 15 000. According to the World Health Organization, the number of obvious deformities at the time of leprosy diagnosis is now at 1.5 per million individuals, putting the 2020 target of less than one per million people within reach. according to WHO.

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