Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a close relative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Mycobacterium leprae. There have been various beliefs in its etiology with two main concepts emerging: anticontagion and contagion. From ancient times through the early Middle Ages, the miasmatic theory of leprosy was the main anticontagion view. The development of histopathologic and cytologic studies in the second half of the 19th century provided a starting point to explain the etiology of leprosy bacteriologically.
BT - Clinics in dermatology DO - 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2014.07.012 IS - 1 J2 - Clinics in Dermatology LA - eng N2 -Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by a close relative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Mycobacterium leprae. There have been various beliefs in its etiology with two main concepts emerging: anticontagion and contagion. From ancient times through the early Middle Ages, the miasmatic theory of leprosy was the main anticontagion view. The development of histopathologic and cytologic studies in the second half of the 19th century provided a starting point to explain the etiology of leprosy bacteriologically.
PY - 2015 SP - 3 EP - 7 T2 - Clinics in dermatology TI - Lepra: Various etiologies from miasma to bacteriology and genetics VL - 33 SN - 0738081X ER -