14 basic interesting facts about Leprosy/Hansen’s Disease

By
Healthfacts.ng
-
  • Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease. A person who has leprosy is called a leper.
  • Leprosy is a disease that develops slowly and gradually over a long period of time.
  • It is mainly caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae. Another mycobacterium has also been found to cause leprosy; it is called Mycobacterium lepromatosis.
  • Mycobacterium leprae is a bacterium that multiplies slowly – which accounts for the slow development of the disease.
  • It is a disease that has been around for a very long time – it is an ancient disease. All sorts of myths were spun in our traditional settings concerning the disease. And these myths made people afraid of people who had the disease. In ancient times, leprosy was thought to be a curse or punishment from the gods. So, the people were ostracised from society and were sometimes sent for forgiveness and treatment by holy men and priests. Another reason people who had leprosy were ostracised from society in some places was because of how much the disease disfigures those who suffer from it. Also, it was observed that those who had contact with the infected person(s) could later get the disease, while those who never had contact with the lepers were never infected; and so, the lepers were banned from some villages and communities. Unfortunately, in the world today, people who have leprosy are still banned and ostracised from some society in some villages. So, people who had leprosy were required to ring a bell as they moved in some places; this was so that people could run away or avoid them. Because they were usually banned, the lepers usually lived together in isolated leper colonies. They were sometimes cared for by priests, monks, etc.
  • Later, the cause of the disease was discovered by a man called Armauer Hansen – a doctor in Norway. This is why the disease is also called Hansen’s disease – named after him. So, those who now know the cause of the disease no longer believe the myths. However, certain people in rural areas do not know the cause of the disease, and so they still believe the myths.
  • Sometime in the past, it was thought to be hereditary because the disease affected family members. When in reality the main reason it affected family members was the repeated, frequent and close exposure to the untreated leprous person in the family over a long period of time.
  • This disease particularly affects the skin, upper respiratory tract, the nerves of the arms and legs, and the inner lining of the nostrils. And so, it causes weakness of the muscles, skin sores and damage to the nerves. It also affects the eyes, kidneys and male reproductive tract. It can cause disability and severe disfigurement if it is not treated early.
  • Leprosy is devastating when it gets to the advanced stage because of the disfigurement and disability associated with it, as a result of the damage it causes to different parts of the body.
  • The outcome of being infected with leprosy depends on different factors, such as – how early in the disease process it is diagnosed, and how early treatment is started. If there is late diagnosis and commencement of treatment, then the disease will have a poor outcome. However, if the diagnosis and commencement of treatment are done early, then the disease will have a fair or relatively good outcome.
  • When treatment is started early in the disease process, spread of the disease is stopped, damage to different parts of the body and grave health complications are also prevented.
  • Leprosy is seen in many countries, especially in tropical and subtropical countries; although it is not as common as it once was.
  • Since 1995, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has distributed the drugs used to treat leprosy for free all over the world.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

59 COMMENTS

  1. I do agree with all the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for newbies. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.

  4. Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I?m going to watch out for brussels. I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  8. Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between usability and visual appearance. I must say you’ve done a awesome job with this. In addition, the blog loads super fast for me on Opera. Superb Blog!

  10. As the decentralized finance (DeFi) space continues to evolve in 2025, SpookySwap has established itself as one of the leading decentralized exchanges (DEXs) on the Fantom Opera blockchain. Known for fast, low-cost token swaps, yield farming, and liquidity rewards, SpookySwap is a powerful tool for traders and DeFi enthusiasts looking to maximize their returns while maintaining full control of their funds.

  12. SpookySwap is a next-generation decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the lightning-fast Fantom Opera blockchain. Designed for efficiency, security, and low-cost transactions, SpookySwap empowers users to trade, stake, and earn without relying on centralized intermediaries. Its seamless user experience and robust features make it a key player in the expanding world of decentralized finance (DeFi).

  14. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

  15. Thanks for your write-up. One other thing is that if you are disposing your property yourself, one of the difficulties you need to be cognizant of upfront is how to deal with house inspection accounts. As a FSBO home owner, the key about successfully switching your property as well as saving money upon real estate agent profits is knowledge. The more you recognize, the softer your property sales effort will be. One area in which this is particularly critical is information about home inspections.

  16. One important issue is that while you are searching for a education loan you may find that you’ll need a co-signer. There are many scenarios where this is correct because you may find that you do not use a past credit standing so the loan company will require that you have someone cosign the financing for you. Thanks for your post.

  17. Thanks for your article. It is rather unfortunate that over the last decade, the travel industry has already been able to to fight terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, bird flu, swine flu, as well as first ever true global downturn. Through everthing the industry has really proven to be effective, resilient in addition to dynamic, locating new ways to deal with difficulty. There are continually fresh difficulties and opportunity to which the market must once more adapt and reply.

  18. From my investigation, shopping for electronic devices online may be easily expensive, yet there are some tips and tricks that you can use to obtain the best deals. There are often ways to uncover discount promotions that could help make one to buy the best gadgets products at the cheapest prices. Good blog post.

  19. Wow that was odd. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t appear. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say wonderful blog!

  22. Discover the power of MinSwap, the leading decentralized exchange platform offering seamless trading and low fees. Maximize your assets and join the next generation of decentralized finance

  24. Discover the future of decentralized finance with Woofi Finance, a cutting-edge platform for seamless crypto staking and yield farming. Maximize your returns with low fees and high rewards. Join the revolution in DeFi today!

  32. My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be precisely what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for you? I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on a number of the subjects you write with regards to here. Again, awesome blog!

  33. One thing I want to say is that before buying more computer system memory, check out the machine within which it will be installed. If the machine is running Windows XP, for instance, the particular memory limit is 3.25GB. Using over this would merely constitute just a waste. Be sure that one’s mother board can handle an upgrade quantity, as well. Good blog post.

  34. Thanks for your tips on this blog. One thing I would wish to say is that often purchasing electronic products items on the Internet is nothing new. Actually, in the past decades alone, the market for online electronics has grown noticeably. Today, you could find practically just about any electronic unit and other gadgets on the Internet, including cameras and also camcorders to computer elements and games consoles.

  35. When I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any approach you possibly can take away me from that service? Thanks!

  36. After study just a few of the blog posts in your website now, and I truly like your approach of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark web site listing and might be checking back soon. Pls check out my web page as nicely and let me know what you think.

  37. An added important issue is that if you are an older person, travel insurance with regard to pensioners is something you must really contemplate. The older you are, greater at risk you are for permitting something bad happen to you while in most foreign countries. If you are definitely not covered by many comprehensive insurance, you could have some serious troubles. Thanks for expressing your ideas on this blog.

  40. An attention-grabbing discussion is price comment. I believe that you need to write extra on this matter, it may not be a taboo topic however usually individuals are not sufficient to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers

  41. I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever before.

  42. Thanks for the guidelines shared in your blog. Something else I would like to talk about is that weight reduction is not information about going on a celebrity diet and trying to reduce as much weight as possible in a couple of weeks. The most effective way to lose weight is by getting it slowly and gradually and using some basic ideas which can help you to make the most from your attempt to lose fat. You may recognize and already be following some tips, but reinforcing knowledge never damages.

  43. Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It really useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to offer something back and help others like you aided me.

  44. Hello would you mind letting me know which web host you’re using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good hosting provider at a honest price? Kudos, I appreciate it!

  45. Thanks for the ideas you talk about through your blog. In addition, lots of young women who seem to become pregnant tend not to even try to get health insurance because they fear they won’t qualify. Although many states at this moment require that insurers produce coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions. Fees on these kind of guaranteed plans are usually greater, but when considering the high cost of medical treatment it may be some sort of a safer route to take to protect your financial future.

  47. Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I were tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided shiny transparent idea

  49. Greetings! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My blog discusses a lot of the same topics as yours and I feel we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Superb blog by the way!

  50. I liked up to you’ll obtain performed proper here. The cartoon is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nevertheless, you command get got an shakiness over that you would like be delivering the following. sick for sure come further earlier again as precisely the similar nearly a lot continuously within case you defend this increase.

  51. Hi, Neat post. There is an issue together with your website in web explorer, could check this? IE nonetheless is the market leader and a large element of folks will leave out your fantastic writing because of this problem.

  52. Another important component is that if you are an older person, travel insurance regarding pensioners is something you need to really consider. The older you are, the greater at risk you will be for allowing something negative happen to you while in another country. If you are certainly not covered by several comprehensive insurance, you could have a number of serious issues. Thanks for expressing your good tips on this web site.

  53. Someone essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish incredible. Excellent job!

  55. Good post. I be taught something tougher on completely different blogs everyday. It’ll at all times be stimulating to read content from different writers and follow somewhat something from their store. I?d prefer to make use of some with the content material on my weblog whether you don?t mind. Natually I?ll provide you with a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.

  57. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d definitely donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will share this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!

LEAVE A REPLY