Hansen’s disease, formerly known as leprosy, is caused by the Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae ) bacteria. The infection has also been identified in nine-banded armadillos. Approximately 95 percent of people are resistant to infection; people who develop clinical illness can experience a wide range of clinical manifestations, but typically develop infections involving the skin, peripheral nerves and nasal mucosa.
Richard W. Truman, Ph.D., Chief, Laboratory Research Branch with the National Hansen’s Disease Program joined me to talk about leprosy in the United States and recent research published in the journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases entitled “Zoonotic Leprosy in the Southeastern United States”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Related:
- Outbreak News This Week: Dog flu, Travel health
- Hepatitis E outbreak update in Diffa, Niger
- Conjunctivitis outbreaks reported in five countries in the Americas
- FDA approves new fluoroquinolone antibiotic, Baxdela
- Fort Worth: 1st human West Nile virus case reported in Tarrant County
- HIV and hepatitis risk linked to endoscopes at Qatar air base
- Romania: 18 hospitalized with suspected meningitis, one dead
- Group B Strep vaccine goes into Phase 1 trials
- Intranasal anthrax vaccine approved to advance into a pre-clinical toxicology study
One thought on “Hansen’s Disease, or leprosy in the US”