Leprosy A disease of poverty

World Leprosy Day is reminiscent of almost forgotten illness

01/25/2015

In Europe, leprosy is considered eradicated. But worldwide, the infectious disease is still a major threat to many people. There is no vaccine and medical care in the affected countries is bad. The World Leprosy Day 2015 is reminiscent of the almost forgotten disease in this country.

Chronic illness is completely curable
Although leprosy has not been defeated worldwide, it has almost been eradicated in countries with developed healthcare. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), six cases were counted in Germany in 2012 and 2013, all of them imported from other countries. The chronic illness is completely curable, whereby a therapy according to German Leprosy and tuberculosis help (DAHW) costs on average 50 euros per patient. According to a message from the news agency „dpa“ The World Health Organization (WHO) had informed that in 2013 a total of 215,000 people had newly infected. The World Leprosy Day on January 25 recalls the almost forgotten illness.

Poor medical care in poor countries
More than 200,000 people worldwide suffer from leprosy each year. The infectious disease can be cured well with antibiotics. But where people get leprosy - especially in very poor countries like Uganda, India, Brazil and Indonesia - medical care is poor. If those affected receive a six- to twelve-month treatment, they are officially considered cured. However, many retain visible disabilities such as mutilated hands and feet or a severely scarred face and are discriminated against and marginalized. „The social disease leprosy is hardly curable“, wrote Gudrun Freifrau von Wiedersperg, Honorary President of the German Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association (DAHW) in a statement in the run-up to the World Leprosy Day on 25 January.

Pharmaceutical industry does little research on leprosy
The reasons for the still high numbers of new leprosy infections, experts see above all in lack of education and prevention in the affected regions. As the pharmaceutical industry lacks the interest to invest in leprosy research, there is a great deal of ignorance about the disease and there was a lack of rapid tests and vaccines, explains Jürgen Hövekenmeier, DAHW spokesman for the news agency „dpa“. Because leprosy only hits the poor, whose immune system is weakened. „Leprosy could easily be defeated if we knew more about it. It has long been an avoidable disease“, Hövekenmeier continues. But it is too little known about the transmission paths. In addition, a majority of the world's population is resistant to the infectious disease. „Why this is so, is scientifically not clarified. It is likely that many carry on the pathogen without ever falling ill but can infect others.“

Leprosy patients are being discriminated against and marginalized
In leprosy patients, the nerves die, so they usually lose the feeling of pain, heat and cold. At the same time the vessels of the arteries and veins clog by a thickening of the blood. If those affected do not receive treatment, they are easily hurt by the loss of feeling. About the wounds can then go unnoticed sometimes dangerous inflammation, causing the affected areas of the body die. Another symptom is the conspicuous skin changes caused by so-called lepromas (knots), which first infiltrate the skin on the face and, as the disease progresses, also bones, muscles, tendons and internal organs.

Mutilations of the hands and feet
„There are about 4 million people who live with typical handicaps after leprosy“, reported by Wiedersperg. „These mutilations of the hands and feet, sometimes the faces, make it quickly apparent to fellow human beings that they are episodes of leprosy. The stamp 'Leprakranker' is pressed and can not be released.“ Therefore, those affected and their loved ones would be severely discriminated against and marginalized. For example, employers would dismiss employees suffering from leprosy, and mayors and neighbors would displace victims from the cities and even exclude children from leprosy patients from school lessons. „You no longer have a chance to work. Nobody wants to live with them because they are still considered ill“, so Hövekenmeier. (ag, ad)