Leprosy

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses research data on leprosy and notes that while leprosy today represents a treatable and curable health condition, eradicating the disease remains a challenge for public health officials. Using this as a basis for investigation, the paper reviews the etiology and pathology of leprosy. Through a careful review of what has been noted about this condition, the paper elucidates the challenges posed for eradicating this disease and improving the outcomes of world health. The paper, in reviewing this, illness provides a more integral understanding of the burden that leprosy poses for the patient.

Outline:
Literature Review
Leprosy: Definition and Scope
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Diagnosis of leprosy can be a significant challenge for medical professionals. What is perhaps most challenging about leprosy is that contraction of the bacteria will not always result in the development of the disease. As reported by Jacobson and Krahenbuhl (1999) when the Mycobacterium leprae bacterium is transmitted, the body is often able to mount a natural immune response that will prevent systemic infection. In many instances, this response is successful, resulting in no long-term health implications for the affected individual. However, in some instances, the body's natural defenses will fail. However, when this occurs it may take several years for the bacteria to build up enough potency to manifest. Further, the initial manifestation of leprosy may be a single lesion that heals. Thus, for medical professionals, diagnosis of leprosy in the early stages can be a notable challenge. Further, once a diagnosis has been made, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to trace the origins of the bacteria. This is due to the fact that leprosy can take several years to manifest. As such, developing effective preventive public health interventions to stop the spread of the diseases remains a notable challenge."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Britton, W.J., & Lockwood, D.N. (2004). Leprosy. Lancet, 363(9416), 1209-1219.
• Jacobson, R.R., & Krahenbuhl, J.L. (1999). Leprosy. Lancet, 353(9153), 655-660.
• Koch, A., Kostler, E., Zieger, B., et al., (2006). Leprosy: Two case reports from Dresden, Germany. International Journal of Dermatology, 45(11), 1321-1325.
• Leprosy. (2005). World Health Organization. Accessed December 11, 2007 at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/index.html.
• World Health Organization. (2007). Global leprosy situation, 2007. Weekly Epidemiological Record, 82(25), 232-240.

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