01278nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653001600065653002000081653002100101653001100122653001800133653002300151653001200174653001500186653001600201100001800217700001400235245006500249300001100314490000700325520069200332       1995                            d  c1995 Dec10aBible10aClofazimine10aGlucocorticoids10aHistory, Ancient10aHumans10aImmunotherapy10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aPrednisone10aThalidomide1 aSticht-Groh V1 aBretzel G00a[Leprosy--current aspects of a disease from biblical times].  a216-210 v233 a<p>95% of individuals who come in contact with M. leprae do not develop an overt disease. It begins as an indeterminate form that may undergo spontaneous cure or may progress to different forms of leprosy (TT, BT, unstable form of BB, BL, or LL). The clinical form of the disease correlates with the T cell mediated immune response rather than to the direct damage caused by the bacilli. The lack of cellular immunity in lepromatous patients relates specifically to M. leprae. Current aspects of etiology, transmission, epidemiology, classification, clinical features, immunopathology, chemotherapy, treatment of reactions, immunotherapy and vaccination are elucidated and discussed.</p>