by Lynne Griffith

Created on: July 12, 2009

Leprosy; also known as Hansen's disease is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae. This family of bacterium is the same one that causes tuberculosis. The bacterium grows slowly and affects mainly the skin, nerves, and mucous membranes. Although not as common, Mycobacterium leprae may also affect the eyes, muscles, bones, and testes. Leprosy has been one of the world's most feared diseases for a very long time. This is due to the fact that if it goes untreated, Leprosy can cause severe disfigurement, especially in the hands and feet, however; leprosy is rarely fatal.

According to emedtv.com, the cause of leprosy was first discovered by a Norwegian scientist named Gerhard Armauer Hansen in 1873. Since then, there has been a lot of progress in treating leprosy without too much trouble. This has helped to alleviate people's fear of the disease.

The bacterium that causes leprosy is unlike most bacterium that causes diseases in humans. It differs in that is thrives in cooler areas rather than warmer ones. This is the reason that leprosy tends to affect the surface areas of the body where the bacterium is able to stay cooler. In the early stages of leprosy, the main symptom is skin lesions that are light in color and have often lost any sensation of feeling. People suffering from leprosy may also develop enlarged nerves near the joints, such as the wrist, elbow, and knee. These enlarged nerves can cause tenderness that can be felt on the skin's surface.

According to encarta.msn.com, there are two main kinds of leprosy; tuberculoid and lepromatous disease. In tuberculoid leprosy, there are few, small skin lesions, and only a few bacterium are present. In lepromatous leprosy, skin lesions are more widespread and there are many bacteria present. As this disease progresses, hard knots and skin folds may begin to form on the face and the nose may actually collapse. This gives the person the appearance the lion-like appearance that is commonly associated with the disease.

The symptoms that are caused by leprosy may be caused by the spread of the bacteria that are in lepromatous leprosy or by the way the body's immune system responds to the bacteria in tuberculoid leprosy. Regardless of the type of leprosy, there is normally some level of permanent nerve damage. It is common for people with leprosy to suffer from burns to the hands and feet that they do not feel due to the lack of sensation in these areas. The damaged

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