LEPROSY: DISEASE PREVAILING FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an acid-fast, rodshaped bacilli. The newest research suggests that atleast as early as 4000 B.C. individuals had been infected with M. leprae, while the first known written reference to the disease was found on Egyptian papyrus in about 1550 B.C. The disease was well recognized in ancient China, Egypt, and India. At present many countries are in a way to achieve “world without leprosy” before 2105. India records the highest number of new leprosy cases in the world. The latest figures estimated by WHO states that out of around 35% of new leprosy cases in India, 48,000 are women and 13,610 children newly detected with leprosy. Skin, nose, blood are the potential reservoirs for growth of M. leprae, from the reservoirs M. leprae was thrushed forward to the extremity. Though leprosy can be treated by MDT, the formed deformities remains and prevention with vaccine can be beneficial. This review article on leprosy enlightens the existence of M. leprae, requirements for nourishment of M. leprae, core causes for deformities, effectiveness of treatment regimens, prevention of leprosy and antioxidant status in leprosy patients.