leprosy…

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hansen's disease, leprosy, infectious disease, known, biblical times, characterized by disfiguring skin lesions, peripheral nerve damage, progressive debilitation, leprosy, organism mycobacteriumleprae, a difficult disease to transmit, has a long incubation period, makes it difficult, the disease was contracted, children, more susceptible than adults to contracting the disease, leprosy has two common forms, tuberculoid, lepromatous, have been further subdivided, forms produce lesions on the skin, the lepromatous form, severe, producing large disfiguring nodules, all forms, the disease eventually cause peripheral neurological damage, nerve damage, in the extremities, manifested by sensory loss, in the skin, muscle weakness, long-term leprosy, lose the use of hands, feet, due to repeated injury resulting from lack of sensation, leprosy is common in many countries, in the world, in temperate, tropical, subtropical climates, 100 cases per year, diagnosed, most cases, limited, south, california, hawaii, island possessions, effective medications exist, isolation of victims in "leper colonies" is unnecessary, emergence of drug-resistant mycobacterium leprae, increased numbers of cases worldwide, have led to global concern, hypopigmented, lighter than normal skin color, skin lesions, decreased sensation to touch, heat, pain, skin lesions that, not heal after several weeks to months, numbness, absent sensation, in the hands, arms, feet, legs, muscle weakness resulting in signs foot drop, toe drags, the foot is lifted to take a step, lepromin skin test, distinguish lepromatous from tuberculoid leprosy, not used, diagnosis, skin scraping examination, acid fast bacteria, medications, eliminate the microorganism, to reduce symptoms, dapsone, rifampin, clofazimine, ethionamide, aspirin, prednisone, thalidomide, the control of inflammation, "erythema nodosum leprosum", therapy, early recognition is important, early treatment limits damage by the disease, renders the person noninfectious, allows, normal lifestyle, permanent nerve damage, cosmetic disfigurement, signs, symptoms described here occur, following exposure, cases of leprosy, in the united states need to be reported, centers, disease control, prevention, prevention consists of avoiding close physical contact, untreated people, people on long-term medication, become noninfectious, not transmit the organism that causes.