01336nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001100055653001100066653001200077653000900089653002300098653001800121653002100139100001100160700001400171245010600185856004800291300001000339490001600349050001400365520068900379022001401068       2012                            d  c2012 Dec10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aNeglected Diseases10aSocial stigma10aTropical Climate1 aFoss N1 aMotta ACF00aLeprosy, a neglected disease that causes a wide variety of clinical conditions in tropical countries.  uhttp://www.scielo.br/pdf/mioc/v107s1/06.pdf  a28-330 v107 Suppl 1  aFOSS 20123 a<p>Leprosy is an ancient disease that remains endemic and continues to be a major public health problem in some tropical countries, where it has been internationally recognized as being linked to the underdevelopment conditions. The natural course of the disease covers a wide variety of clinical conditions with systemic involvement. In this paper, we review the findings obtained in studies of the pathological mechanisms of leprosy, including a survey of the literature and of our own work. The understanding and control of the wide variety of clinical conditions should help improve patient care and thus prevent the onset of physical impairment and the stigma of the disease.</p>  a1678-8060