05/02/2024
February is full of health awareness days that we’ll soon be posting about, but here are two interesting days you may have missed in January:
January 28: World Leprosy Day
January 30: World Neglected Tropical Disease Day.
According to the WHO, “Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200,000 new cases reported every year.”
Also known as Hansen’s Disease, Leprosy affects peripheral nerves and is commonly known by most individuals as an affliction of the skin.
But did you know… ?
Many skin issues were once lumped together and simply called “Leprosy”. Even having Psoriasis could land a person in a L***r Colony!
The word Leprosy comes from the Greek “ léprā” and “lépō”, roughly meaning “to make the skin scale” and for the scales to peel or flake off.
Prior to the discovery of bacteria that causes Hansen’s Disease, anyone with severe cases of dry skin, vitiligo, and even fungal infections could be considered L***rs—- a view that persisted for hundreds of years!
So, how do you get Leprosy?
Most commonly, Lpeprosy is transmitted
through prolonged contact with an infected individual, when infected droplets pass through the air from coughing or sneezing.
Less commonly, Leprosy is spread through involvement in 17th-18th Century Viking Fur Trade and/or enjoying 9-Banded Armadillos as a delicacy or family pet.
Luckily, Leprosy is curable, and since 1995 the World Health Organization has supplied treatment free of cost.
