by Carson Quinn

Created on: July 27, 2009   Last Updated: July 28, 2009

Where
Leprosy is an extremely contagious disease and it is found everywhere in the world except North America. It may be contagious, but it is a very rare disease. It was found all over in Europe in four-hundred BC, 1 billion people live in the area that it is in, luckily, the Black Plague outbreak in the early 12th century got rid of most of the leprosy bacteria in Europe.

Causes
Leprosy is one of the most contagious diseases in the world; it can be transmitted through non-sterilized needles, mosquitoes, and even direct contact, such as touching someone ONCE they can get it. Although it is that contagious, it is a rare disease because 90% of the world's population is immune to leprosy's bacteria, but someone who is immune to it can still get the bacteria and pass it on, they just don't get sick. Even if you are immune to the bacteria but still have it, you can still pass the bacteria on, without even knowing you have.


Who
Leprosy infects all human beings that are not immune to the bacteria. Only ten percent of the world is actually capable of getting leprosy. One scientist was trying to prove that leprosy was not contagious, because he and his workers worked with lepers a lot and they were not sick. So he injected himself and his workers with leprosy bacteria that they took from people that had Leprosy and they did not get sick, so people thought it wasn't contagious for a while. But actually they were just immune to the bacteria, Leprosy is actually extremely contagious.


When
In 1873 Gerhard H. Armauer Hansen discovered the leprosy bacteria and so leprosy is named Hansen's Disease. He discovered that the symptoms for leprosy show up three to five years after the victim has been infected. So people could have the disease and not know until years after they get it.

What

Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria for leprosy, are rod-shaped, dark nodules, it is a Chronic Infectious Disease. Symptoms include red/white patches of skin, loss of feeling, and thickened nerves. No TX: weakness in hands/feet, fingers/toes curl. Severe: blindness.

Learn more about this author, Carson Quinn.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.