Lepra: Eine Bakterielle Krankheit, Die Den Menschen Befällt

Leprosy has plagued humanity throughout history. It affected all continents simultaneously and left a terrible image of mutilation, rejection, and exclusion from society in the history and memory of humankind. Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is one of the oldest diseases known to humanity, a globally prevalent infectious disease caused by a rod-shaped bacterium, Mycobacterium leprae. The mode of transmission, the reservoir, and the vectors that can spread the disease are unknown. It is believed that the most likely mode of transmission is prolonged and close contact with an infected person (from person to person). The disease primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, as well as the eyes and some other structures. However, the societal perception of leprosy has changed in recent decades. All countries have officially introduced outpatient treatment and have gradually closed the old, stigmatized leper colonies.