Leprosy+-+Myths+vs.+Facts

**True or False? Some Common Misconceptions Regarding Leprosy.**

__ **Q: Can you get leprosy by touching someone who has it? ** **A: **No, not really. Actually, approximately 95% of world's population is totally immune to the bacteria that causes leprosy. Scientists do think, though, that it can be passed through mucus from the nose and lungs, and perhaps through soil. It cannot be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her fetus, nor through sexual acts. (Seghal 22-23)   __  **Q: Does leprosy make your arms and legs fall of?  A: ** Leprosy does not cause flesh to rot and fingers and toes to drop off. In the past, limbs that have been damaged because the person cannot feel pain have sometimes had to be amputated. Now that the disease can be detected early, the need to amputate is rare. <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">(Better Health Channel <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">)

===<span style="display: block; font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; background-color: rgb(0, 150, 255); text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Common Questions Regarding Leprosy === <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> **<span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Q: Of all the animals in the world, whey would armadillos be the preferred hosts for leprosy? A: **<span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> The leprosy bacteria thrive in the cooler parts of an organism's body. Armadillos have a body temperature ranging from 28 to 33 degrees Celcius compared to the human's 37 degree body temperature. Also, armadillos can live for 12-15 years therefore by testing armadillos, scientists can observe the advanded symptoms of leprosy. Armadillos in the wild can have leprosy, which creates a concern about the ability of the disease spreading to humans.(Sehgal 69)

**<span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Q:How many people are affected by leprosy every year? A: **<span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Statistics of Leprosy according to WHO(Worldwide Health Organization) __

<span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> Table One: <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> - How much leprosy has grown and the number of new cases detected <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> - For 2008, made by WHO ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> b) Registered prevalence, beginning 2008     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">    ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> c) New cases detected,2007      <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 30 055 (0.47)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 31 037 (4.85)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 49 388 (0.96)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 41 978 (8.15)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 120 967 (0.72)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 171 552 (10.22)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 4 240 (0.09)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 4 091 (0.85)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 8 152 (0.05)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 5 867 (0.34)     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 212 802     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> ||  <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 254 525     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> || <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">a) Population data from World population prospects: the 2004 revision, Vol. 1, Table A20. New York, United Nations Population Division. Data from the European Region not included.   __ <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">     <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">b) Values are number (rate/10 000 population). c) <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Values are number (rate/100 000 population). <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">http://www.who.int/wer/2008/wer8333.pdf    __ <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">  **   <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Table 2 Trends in the detection of new cases of leprosy, by WHO region, 2001–2007 (excluding European Region)    ** <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">     __ <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">WHO r   __ <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> a) WHO region     <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> African    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Americas    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> South-East Asia    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Eastern Mediterranean    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Western Paciﬁc    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> Total    <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">

|| <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">46 918 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">45 179  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 34 480 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">31 037 || || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 52 435 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">52 662  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">41 952  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">47 612  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">41 978  || || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 298 603 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">201 635 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">174 118 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">171 552  || || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3 2’61 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">4 091  || || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6 190 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 5 867  || || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">514 718 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">407 791 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">299 036 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">265 661 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">254 525 || <span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">
 * WHO Region || 2001 || 2002 || 2003 || 2004 || 2005 || 2006 || 2007 ||
 * African || 39 612 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">48 248 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">47 006
 * Americas || 42 830 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">39 939
 * South-East Asia || 668 658 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">520 632 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">405 147
 * Eastern Mediterranean || 4 758 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 4 665 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3 940  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3 392  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3 133
 * Western Pacific || 7 404 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> 7 154 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6 190  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6 216  || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">7 137
 * Total || 763 262<span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">620 638

<span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">__<span style="font-size: 60%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; display: block;"> http://www.who.int/wer/2008/wer8333.pdf __