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Autoantibodies in leprosy and leishmania patients: more evidence on the association of infections and autoimmunityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)
Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia - November 20, 2009 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: journals

Autoantibodies in leprosy patients, with and without joint involvement, in the state of AmazonasEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CONCLUSION: The frequency of aCL and anti-β2GPI antibodies was significantly increased in leprosy patients than in healthy individuals. However, positivity to other autoantibodies was similar to that observed in the control group. An association between autoantibodies and joint involvement, reactional episodes, polychemotherapic treatment, discharge, and clinical type of leprosy was not observed, except for aCL antibodies, which were more frequent in lepromatous leprosy. (Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)
Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia - November 20, 2009 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: journals

Systemic manifestations and ulcerative skin lesions in leprosy: differential diagnosis with rheumatic diseasesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We describe the case of a female patient with borderline leprosy, which manifested, initially, with symmetric polyarthritis, cutaneous ulcerative lesions on the lower limbs, and systemic manifestations mimicking rheumatic disease. The authors emphasize the importance of the differential diagnosis of the systemic, joint and, cutaneous involvement of leprosy with rheumatic diseases. (Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia)
Source: Revista Brasileira de Reumatologia - November 20, 2009 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: journals

Uganda: Leprosy Survivors Get HousingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
SURVIVORS of leprosy in Gulu and Amuru districts have received 15 uniports. The survivors, most of whom lost their fingers and toes, are not able to work to earn a living. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - November 19, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

Tissue and blood superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde level in leprosyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusion Oxidative stress was observed in both tissues and blood of MB patients and in tissues of PB patients, denoting its crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of leprosy. This can constitute an important tool in prognosis, treatment and control of leprosy. (Source: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology)
Source: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology - November 19, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: HZ Abdel-Hafez, E-EM Mohamed, AA Abd-Elghany Source Type: journals

Thalidomide: Solving The 50-Year-Old PuzzleEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Research into the controversial drug thalidomide reveals that the mechanism through which the drug causes limb defects is the same process which causes it to damage internal organs and other tissues. The article, published in Bio-Essays, outlines the challenges surrounding thalidomide research and claims that confirmation of a 'common mechanism' could lead to new treatments for Leprosy, Crohn's Disease, AIDS and some forms of cancer. (Source: Cancer / Oncology News From Medical News Today)
Source: Cancer / Oncology News From Medical News Today - November 18, 2009 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: Vascular Source Type: news

Erythema leprosum – after treatment of Lepromatous LeprosyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Leprosy is usually well-controlled by multidrug therapy (MDT). However, in case of noncompliance or leprosy reactions, it may present a therapeutically challenge. A 33-year-old Brazilian woman with lepromatous leprosy was treated with MDT for one year, but then discontinued therapy because she wanted to have children. Eight weeks after stopping her medications, she developed a severe and recalcitrant erythema (nodosum) leprosum (ENL) which presented histologically with thrombosed small veins and neutrophilic inflammation in fat septa, but without arteritis. During her pregnancy and ensuing lactation period, glucocorticoids...
Source: JDDG - November 17, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Mareike Eickelmann, Martin Steinhoff, Dieter Metze, Jane Tomimori-Yamashita, Cord Sunderkötter Source Type: journals

Traditional Asian medicine and leprosy in BangladeshEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study focuses on the people affected by leprosy (e.g. patients, families, and tribal communities), and beliefs about its causes, prevention and treatment. In addition to the government supported allopathic health services and Bangladeshi Medicine System, people also consult a range of other traditional practitioners and religious healers. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by traditional practitioners and religious healers of Bangladesh. A total of 36 plant species were collected, which were used to treat leprosy. These plant species (with parts used given in parenthesis) included Zingiber ...
Source: European Journal of Integrative Medicine - November 13, 2009 Category: Complementary Medicine Authors: M.A.H. Mollik, M.F. Hossain, D. Sen, A.I. Hassan, M.S. Rahman Source Type: journals

Gambia: To Fight Against TB is to Fight Poverty - NLTP ManagerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The manager of the National Leprosy Tuberculosis Programme, Adama Jallow has said that supporting the noble fight against tuberculosis, one of the world's deadly diseases is tantamount to fighting poverty. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - November 12, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

Leprosy control activities integration into the general health system, in the endemic area of South Gujarat regionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Chudasama Rajesh K, Solanki Bharat CIndian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology 2009 75(6):611-613 (Source: Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology)
Source: Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology - November 12, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Chudasama Rajesh K, Solanki Bharat C Source Type: journals

Researchers track leprosy bacteriumEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The bacterium that causes leprosy is genetically stable, which makes curing the disease easier, a Swiss-led research team says. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Source: Health News - UPI.com - November 6, 2009 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Mycolyltransferase from Mycobacterium leprae Excludes Mycolate-containing Glycolipid SubstratesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Trehalose dimycolate (TDM) is a major surface-exposed mycolyl glycolipid that contributes to the hydrophobic cell wall architecture of mycobacteria. Nevertheless, because of its potent adjuvant functions, pathogenic mycobacteria appear to have evolved an evasive maneuver to down-regulate TDM expression within the host. We have shown previously that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and Mycobacterium avium (M.av), replace TDM with glucose monomycolate (GMM) by borrowing host-derived glucose as an alternative substrate for the FbpA mycolyltransferase. Mycobacterium leprae (M.le), the causative microorganism of human leprosy,...
Source: Journal of Biochemistry - November 4, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Nakao, H., Matsunaga, I., Morita, D., Aboshi, T., Harada, T., Nakagawa, Y., Mori, N., Sugita, M. Tags: Regular Papers Source Type: journals

Treatment of leprosy/Hansen's disease in the early 21st centuryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Leprosy, or Hansen's disease (HD), is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a slowly dividing mycobacterium that has evolved to be an intracellular parasite, causing skin lesions and nerve damage. Less than 5% of people exposed to M. leprae develop clinical disease. Host cell-mediated resistance determines whether an individual will develop paucibacillary or multibacillary disease. Hansen's disease is a worldwide disease with about 150 new cases reported annually in the United States. Effective anti-mycobacterial treatments are available, and many patients experience severe reversal and erythema nodosum leprosum reactions that a...
Source: Dermatologic Therapy - November 4, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Sophie M. Worobec Tags: Original Articles Source Type: journals

Mankind And Leprosy BacteriaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
For thousands of years an undesirable and persistent companion has been travelling with man wherever he goes. Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, has only one known natural host - mankind. And because of man's many travels, this bacillus has colonized the entire earth. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - November 3, 2009 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Source Type: news

The Entwined Destinies Of Humankind And Leprosy BacteriaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Leprosy still affects hundreds of thousands of people today throughout the entire world. An international team has traced the history of the disease from ancient Egypt to today and in doing so has made a public health study essential for combating the disease. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)
Source: ScienceDaily Headlines - November 3, 2009 Category: Science Source Type: news

Diffuse (anergic) cutaneous leishmaniasis responding to amphotericin BEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report on a severe an exceptional case that resolved after treatment with amphotericin B, a drug considered only mildly effective, and discuss the therapeutic approach to this disease. (Source: Clinical And Experimental Dermatology)
Source: Clinical And Experimental Dermatology - November 3, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: B. Morrison, I. Mendoza, D. Delgado, O. Reyes Jaimes, N. Aranzazu, A. E. Paniz Mondolfi Source Type: journals

Tuberculosis and leprosy in perspective.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Two of humankind's most socially and psychologically devastating diseases, tuberculosis and leprosy, have been the subject of intensive paleopathological research due to their antiquity, a presumed association with human settlement and subsistence patterns, and their propensity to leave characteristic lesions on skeletal and mummified remains. Despite a long history of medical research and the development of effective chemotherapy, these diseases remain global health threats even in the 21st century, and as such, their causative agents Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae, respectively, have recently been the subje...
Source: Health Physics - November 3, 2009 Category: Physics Authors: Stone AC, Wilbur AK, Buikstra JE, Roberts CA Tags: Am J Phys Anthropol Source Type: journals

Treatment of leprosy in IndiaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Gautam V PJournal of Postgraduate Medicine 2009 55(3):220-224Introduction of multi-drug therapy (MDT) into the National Leprosy Eradication Program (NLEP) of India has brought a decline in both the burden of the disease and the detection of new cases in the country. Despite this success, MDT has had many problems like remarkable relapse rate, non-adherence to the MDT and the emergence of drug resistance associated with it. Moreover, there is no new MDT regimen at present, which could solve all these problems. The current situation suggests that we should look for alternative solutions in the delivery of leprosy-related ser...
Source: Journal of Postgraduate Medicine - November 2, 2009 Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: journals

The entwined destinies of mankind and leprosy bacteriaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) Leprosy still affects hundreds of thousands of people today throughout the entire world. An international team headed by EPFL professor Stewart Cole has traced the history of the disease from ancient Egypt to today and in doing so has made a public health study essential for combating the disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)
Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - November 2, 2009 Category: Biology Source Type: news

Infectious Nature of Leprosy, by Juan de Azúa.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Infectious Nature of Leprosy, by Juan de Azúa. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2009 Nov;100(9):756-758 Authors: Terencio de Las Aguas J In this article by Juan de Azua, published in the second issue of Actas Dermosifiliográficas in 1909,the author reports his experience in 139 patients, most of them from Hospital San Juan de Dios, Madrid,Spain, and states he is sure that leprosy is a contagious disease. He discusses the factors related to contagion,which occurs in a closed and family environment, emphasizing socioeconomic factors such as hygiene and promiscuity. He considers direct contact to be important, thou...
Source: Actas Dermo-Sifiliograficas - November 1, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Terencio de Las Aguas J Tags: Actas Dermosifiliogr Source Type: journals

Long-term relapse risk of multibacillary leprosy after completion of 2 years of multiple drug therapy (WHO-MDT) in Cebu, Philippines.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
From 1987 to 1994, we enrolled 500 subjects completing 2-year WHO multiple drug therapy (MDT) for multibacillary leprosy in a prospective relapse study. Relapse was defined as new skin lesions and an increase in the bacterial index (BI) > or = 2+ (> or = 100x) at any single slit-skin smear site. At the study end in 2006, follow-up was 6,401 subject-years, a mean of 12.8 years/subject. We observed 23 relapses, 6-16 years after MDT (mean, 10.5 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.2-11.8), peaking in Years 11-12 (> 1%/year). The cumulative risk was 6.6% (95% CI, 5.0-8.2%). In a subset of 181 subjects with pre-M...
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - October 31, 2009 Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Balagon MF, Cellona RV, Cruz E, Burgos JA, Abalos RM, Walsh GP, Saunderson PR, Walsh DS Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: journals

Delay in Tuberculosis case detection in Pwani region, Tanzania. a cross sectional study.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusion: There is a considerable delay in TB case detection in Pwani mainly contributed by patients. Risk factors for delay include misconception about TB/HIV and poor knowledge of TB symptoms. (Source: BMC Health Services Research)
Source: BMC Health Services Research - October 29, 2009 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Esther NgadayaGodfrey MfinangaEliud WandwaloOdd Morkve Source Type: journals

Drug usage evaluation of dapsoneEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Kannan G, Vasantha J, Rani N Vanitha, Thennarasu P, Kousalya K, Anuradha P, Reddy C UmaMaheswaraIndian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2009 71(4):456-460Dapsone has been the principal drug in a multidrug regimen recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of leprosy. It is also widely used by dermatologists in varied skin conditions like dermatitis herpetiformis, bullous pemphigoid, Behcet's disease, lupus erythematous and a host of other skin diseases. Hence an attempt has been made to review the utilization and qualitative evaluation of dapsone over a period of 6 months in a tertiary care tea...
Source: Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences - October 28, 2009 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Kannan G, Vasantha J, Rani N Vanitha, Thennarasu P, Kousalya K, Anuradha P, Reddy C UmaMaheswara Source Type: journals

Modified fine-needle aspiration technique for diagnosis of granulomatous skin lesions with special reference to leprosy and cutaneous tuberculosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Skin infections are commonly assessed by slit skin or scrape methods. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is highly effective especially with blanching of skin to ensure good yield and reduced bleeding. The aim of this study was to assess usefulness of cytology, especially modified FNAB technique, in diagnosis of leprosy and cutaneous tuberculosis and to identify specific cytological characteristics for diagnosis and classification. The study was conducted on 40 patients - 25 cases of leprosy and 15 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis. Smears were prepared using modified FNAB technique, slit skin, and scrape methods (dependin...
Source: Diagnostic Cytopathology - October 28, 2009 Category: Pathology Authors: Ghazala Mehdi, Veena Maheshwari, Hena A. Ansari, Sonal Saxena, Rajeev Sharma Source Type: journals

Global Update: Tropical Disease: Neglected Tropical Ills Extract Steep Toll in Islamic World, a Journal Article SaysEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Muslim nations shoulder many cases of intestinal worms, leprosy and blinding trachoma, according to a combination of analysis and editorial. (Source: NYT > Health)
Source: NYT > Health - October 26, 2009 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Tags: Trachoma Islam leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Worms Medicine and Health Source Type: news

Improved Treatment for Sleeping Sickness Now AvailableEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Geneva/Kampala, September 22, 2009 - NECT (Nifurtimox-Eflornithine Combination Therapy), the first new treatment in 25 years against Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness, is now available. Endemic countries have now begun the process of ordering the new combination treatment and kits through the World Health Organization (WHO). Developed by DNDi and its partners, NECT cuts the cost of treatment by half and significantly reduces the burden on health workers. The announcement was made today at the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasi Research and Control (ISCTRC), in Kampala, Uganda. &ldquo...
Source: MSF News - October 26, 2009 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: organizations

Val247Leu polymorphism of β2 glycoprotein 1 gene may justify the genesis of anti β2GP1 antibodies and Antiphospholipid Syndrome in Multibacillary LeprosyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Val/Val homozygosis in leprosy group can partially justify the presence of anti-β2GP1 IgM antibodies in MB leprosy. The description of heterozygosis and Val/Val homozygosis in 7 patients with MB leprosy and thrombosis corroborates the implication of anomalous phenotype expression of β2GP1 and development of anti-β2GP1 antibodies, with consequent thrombosis and APS. (Source: Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia)
Source: Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia - October 23, 2009 Category: Dermatology Source Type: journals

Divergence of macrophage phagocytic and antimicrobial programs in leprosy.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Effective innate immunity against many microbial pathogens requires macrophage programs that upregulate phagocytosis and direct antimicrobial pathways, two functions generally assumed to be coordinately regulated. We investigated the regulation of these key functions in human blood-derived macrophages. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) induced the phagocytic pathway, including the C-type lectin CD209 and scavenger receptors, resulting in phagocytosis of mycobacteria and oxidized low-density lipoprotein. IL-15 induced the vitamin D-dependent antimicrobial pathway and CD209, yet the cells were less phagocytic. The differential regu...
Source: Cell Host and Microbe - October 21, 2009 Category: Microbiology Authors: Montoya D, Cruz D, Teles RM, Lee DJ, Ochoa MT, Krutzik SR, Chun R, Schenk M, Zhang X, Ferguson BG, Burdick AE, Sarno EN, Rea TH, Hewison M, Adams JS, Cheng G, Modlin RL Tags: Cell Host Microbe Source Type: journals

Nigeria: Benue Raises Alarm Over Leprosy AttackEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The Benue State government has raised an alarm over what it described as the high level of leprosy infestation in the state affecting over 5,000 natives. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - October 19, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

[Review] Pathogenetic mechanisms of the intracellular parasite Mycobacterium ulcerans leading to Buruli ulcerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The necrotising skin infection Buruli ulcer is at present the third most common human mycobacteriosis worldwide, after tuberculosis and leprosy. Buruli ulcer is an emergent disease that is predominantly found in humid tropical regions. There is no vaccine against Buruli ulcer and its treatment is difficult. In addition to the huge social effect, Buruli ulcer is of great scientific interest because of the unique characteristics of its causative organism, Mycobacterium ulcerans. This pathogen is genetically very close to the typical intracellular parasites Mycobacterium marinum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We review data ...
Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - October 18, 2009 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Manuel T Silva, Françoise Portaels, Jorge Pedrosa Tags: Review Source Type: journals

Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma and calcinosis cutis: report of a rare caseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma is a rare form of limited cutaneous scleroderma. These patients manifest without cutaneous involvement, but do not differ in its clinical or laboratory features and prognosis from classical systemic sclerosis. In the absence of cutaneous signs/symptoms, its diagnosis is delayed leading to morbidity. The exact prevalence of dystrophic calcification in systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma, though a feature of systemic sclerosis, is not known. Development of dystrophic calcification further aggravates patient's woes. This paper describes systemic sclerosis sine sclero...
Source: Clinical Rheumatology - October 16, 2009 Category: Rheumatology Tags: Clinical Rheumatology Source Type: journals

Uganda: Buruli Ulcer On the Rise in West NileEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
BURULI ulcer is on rise in the West Nile region, medical officers have said. Dr. Franklin Iddi, in charge of eradicating the disease in Moyo, noted the ulcer had the third prevalence rate in the district after leprosy and tuberculosis. "Buruli ulcer is one of the neglected tropical diseases that have been reported in six of the eight sub-counties in Moyo district." (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - October 15, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

Leprosy: report of a case with severe peripheral neuropathyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, with cutaneous and neurological manifestations. Leprosy is very rare in Europe but some cases are reported, especially among people coming from endemic areas. Here, we report a case of Hansen’s disease and emphasize the importance of a prompt diagnosis and treatment also in non-endemic areas. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Case ReportDOI 10.1007/s10072-009-0152-5Authors Paolo Aridon, University of Palermo Dipartimento Universitario di Neuroscienze Cliniche (DiNeC) Via Gaetano La Log...
Source: Neurological Sciences - October 8, 2009 Category: Neurology Tags: Neurological Sciences Source Type: journals

Gambia: Two-Day Sensitization Workshop for Journalists On TBEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Journalists from both the electronic and print media are being sensitized on tuberculosis (TB) at a 2-day workshop held at the Sea View Garden Hotel in Kololi. The sensitization workshop started on the 29th to 30th September 2009. In delivering her welcoming address, the Assistant Director Disease control and family health said the workshop is organized by the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Programme of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and Financed through the Global Fund TB grant. She mentioned the importance of dissemination of correct information through the electronic and print media in raising com...
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - October 6, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

Recent advances in mycobacterial cell wall glycan biosynthesis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The cell wall of mycobacteria, including the causative agents of the human diseases tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and leprosy (M. leprae), is composed of an array of carbohydrate-containing molecules. These glycoconjugates are assembled by glycosyltransferases (GTs) that work in tandem through pathways that are only now beginning to be fully understood. Given the essentiality of cell wall glycans to mycobacterial viability, these enzymes represent novel targets for drug action. Summarized here are recent genetic and biochemical studies leading to the identification and characterization of mycobacterial GTs....
Source: Current Opinion in Chemical Biology - October 2, 2009 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tam PH, Lowary TL Tags: Curr Opin Chem Biol Source Type: journals

The Leprosy Asylum in India: 1886-1947Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Writing against a historical practice that situates the leprosy asylum exclusively within prison-like institutions, this article seeks to show the variation in leprosy asylums, the contingencies of their evolution, and the complexity of their designs, by devoting attention to the characteristics of the leprosy asylum in India from 1886 to 1947, in particular to the model agricultural colony. Drawing upon the travel narratives of Wellesley Bailey, the founder of the Mission to Lepers in India, for three separate periods in 1886, 1890–91, and 1895–96, it argues that leprosy asylums were formed in response to a co...
Source: Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences - October 1, 2009 Category: History of Medicine Authors: Robertson, J. Tags: Articles Source Type: journals

[Neurological evaluation of the leper king Baldwin IV of Jerusalem.]Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CONCLUSION. Leper king Baldwin biography gives us interesting descriptions of neurological clinical features of leprosy. Besides, it helps us to discover twelfth century medicine knowledge about this disease. PMID: 19816847 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Revista de Neurologia)
Source: Revista de Neurologia - September 30, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Guerrero-Peral AL Tags: Rev Neurol Source Type: journals

Use of anti-PGL-1 antibodies to monitor therapy regimes in leprosy patients.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The suitability of IgM antibodies to PGL-1 for monitoring the response to multidrug therapy (MDT) was sequentially tested by ELISA in 105 leprosy patients, and bacterial indexes (BI) were also determined. Patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1, 34 multibacillary (MB) patients treated for 12 months with MDT-MB; group 2, 33 MB patients treated for 24 months with MDT-MB, and group 3, 38 paucibacillary (PB) patients treated for 6 months with MDT-PB. Untreated MB patients exhibited higher antibody levels (mean +/- SEM): group 1 (6.95 +/- 1.35) and group 2 (12.53 +/- 2.02) than untreated PB patients (1.28 +/- 0.35). Th...
Source: Braz J Med Biol Res - September 30, 2009 Category: Research Authors: Zenha EM, Ferreira MA, Foss NT Tags: Braz J Med Biol Res Source Type: journals

Nigeria: Government Establishes Centres for Leprosy, TB DrugsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Katsina state government has established 110 centres to provide drugs for leprosy and tuberculosis patients across the state. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - September 30, 2009 Category: African Health Source Type: news

[Peripheral nerve surgery in leprosy.]Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Leprosy has nearly disappeared in France but continues to affect two million patients in the world. Involvement of the peripheral nerve must be identified and requires surgical treatment, which can provide good results for pain and function. The author reviews the most frequently affected peripheral nerves and reports her personal series, with surgery performed concomitantly with the medical treatment of the disease. PMID: 19793599 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Neuro-Chirurgie)
Source: Neuro-Chirurgie - September 27, 2009 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Redondo A Tags: Neurochirurgie Source Type: journals

On the spectrum of leprosy neuropathies: Multifocal inflammatory neuropathy heralding leprosy relapseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report a 52year-old woman with a past history of lepromatous leprosy (14years prior to our first evaluation) who presented with progressive weakness and severe arm/leg pain. CSF analysis revealed elevated protein level with normal cell count. Skin and sural nerve biopsy showed no bacilli. Immunomodulatory treatment led to major improvement on clinical, CSF and electrodiagnostic grounds, but after one year of treatment, skin test revealed leprosy relapse. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a multifocal inflammatory neuropathy heralding leprosy relapse. Extended neurological work-up may be important in unexplai...
Source: Neuromuscular Disorders - September 25, 2009 Category: Neurology Authors: Francisco de Assis A. Gondim, Florian P. Thomas, Gisele Ramos de Oliveira, Leonardo Halley C. Pimentel, Bruno Pamplona Ranieri Bastos, Carlos Maurício de Castro Costa Tags: Research papers Source Type: journals

Mycobacterium leprae induces insulin-like growth factor and promotes survival of Schwann cells upon serum withdrawalEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, it is shown that treatment of SCs with M. leprae significantly decreased cell death induced by serum deprivation. Not displayed by Mycobacterium smegmatis or Mycobacterium bovis BCG, the M. leprae survival effect was both dose dependent and specific. The conditioned medium (CM) of M. leprae-treated cultures was seen to mimic the protective effect of the bacteria, suggesting that soluble factors secreted by SCs in response to M. leprae were involved in cell survival. Indeed, by quantitative RT-PCR and dot blot/ELISA, it was demonstrated that M. leprae induced the expression and secretion of the SC survival fa...
Source: Cellular Microbiology - September 24, 2009 Category: Microbiology Authors: Luciana Silva Rodrigues, Elisa da Silva Maeda, Maria Elisabete Costa Moreira, Antonio Jorge Tempone, Lívia Silva Lobato, Victor Túlio Ribeiro-Resende, Lucineia Alves, Shaila Rossle, Ulisses Gazos Lopes, Maria Cristina Vidal Pessolani Source Type: journals

Protective effect of the combination BCG vaccination and rifampicin prophylaxis in leprosy prevention.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
BCG vaccination and rifampicin chemoprophylaxis are both strategies for leprosy prevention. While the combined effect is unknown, the combination may give the desired push to halt leprosy transmission. Secondary analysis was done on results from a single centre, double blind, cluster randomized, and placebo-controlled trial. Individually, BCG (given at infancy) and rifampicin showed to protect against leprosy (57% [95% CI: 24-75%] and 58% [95% CI: 30-74%], respectively). The combined strategies showed a protective effect of 80% (95% CI: 50-92%). This is the first time that the additive effect of BCG and rifampicin are ...
Source: Vaccine - September 24, 2009 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Schuring RP, Richardus JH, Pahan D, Oskam L Tags: Vaccine Source Type: journals

Ocular Manifestation in Treated Multibacillary Hansen's DiseaseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: Patients who have completed treatment for multibacillary HD continue to have significant ocular morbidity. A history of specific eye symptoms can be the basis for referral by field staff.Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. (Source: Ophthalmology)
Source: Ophthalmology - September 22, 2009 Category: Opthalmology Authors: Rajul Parikh, Saju Thomas, Jayaprakash Muliyil, Shefali Parikh, Ravi Thomas Tags: Original Articles Source Type: journals

Dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome with circulating 190-kDa and 230-kDa autoantibodiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report a 44-year-old female Korean patient with dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) that presented as a bullous skin eruption. The patient had a 1-year history of urticarial vasculitis, treated with antihistamines, prednisolone and dapsone. Although the skin lesions improved, she reported fever, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice, fatigue and skin rashes. On physical examination, there were generalized erythematous macules and purpura with facial oedema that developed into vesicles on the upper limbs. Histological examination of a skin biopsy of a vesicular lesion found subepidermal oedema with a mixed inflammatory ce...
Source: Clinical And Experimental Dermatology - September 21, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: J. S. Chun, S. J. Yun, S. J. Kim, S. C. Lee, Y. H. Won, J. B. Lee Source Type: journals

NOTABLE NOTES: The Blind Man and the Paralytic Boy of Lesnovo: Diagnosis of Borderline Lepromatous Leprosy After 660 Years?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Archives of Dermatology)
Source: Archives of Dermatology - September 20, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: V'lckova-Laskoska, M. T., Laskoski, D. S. Tags: Bacterial Infections, Dermatology, Dermatologic Disorders, Dermatologic Disorders, Other, Humanities, Infectious Diseases Notable Notes Source Type: journals

Type 1 leprosy reversal reaction treated with topical tacrolimus along with systemic corticosteroidsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Safa Gilles, Darrieux Laure, Coic Alain, Tisseau LaurentIndian Journal of Medical Sciences 2009 63(8):359-362An 11-year-old black Haitian boy presented with borderline lepromatous leprosy and was treated with rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine. After 4 months he developed a severe type 1 reversal reaction without nerve involvement. He was started on prednisolone (1 mg/kg daily). After 4 weeks of treatment with corticosteroids, his condition did not improve and the lesions remained painful. The patient was given a therapeutic trial with twice daily application of topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment. The result was a d...
Source: Indian Journal of Medical Sciences - September 18, 2009 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Safa Gilles, Darrieux Laure, Coic Alain, Tisseau Laurent Source Type: journals

Characterization of Mycobacterium leprae RecA Intein, a LAGLIDADG Homing Endonuclease, Reveals a Unique Mode of DNA Binding, Helical Distortion, and Cleavage Compared with a Canonical LAGLIDADG Homing Endonuclease [Dna: Replication, Repair, Recombination, and Chromosome Dynamics]Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mycobacterium leprae, which has undergone reductive evolution leaving behind a minimal set of essential genes, has retained intervening sequences in four of its genes implicating a vital role for them in the survival of the leprosy bacillus. A single in-frame intervening sequence has been found embedded within its recA gene. Comparison of the M. leprae recA intervening sequence with the known intervening sequences indicated that it has the consensus amino acid sequence necessary for being a LAGLIDADG-type homing endonuclease. In light of massive gene decay and function loss in the leprosy bacillus, we sought to investigate...
Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry - September 10, 2009 Category: Chemistry Authors: Singh, P., Tripathi, P., Silva, G. H., Pingoud, A., Muniyappa, K. Tags: Dna: Replication, Repair, Recombination, and Chromosome Dynamics Source Type: journals

Immune zones in leprosyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Rajashekar T S, Singh Gurcharan, Naik L ChandraIndian Journal of Dermatology 2009 54(3):206-210Leprosy affects mainly those areas of skin which have a relatively lower temperature and are more exposed to trauma. Certain zones like scalp, palms and soles, genitalia, groins, axillae, eyelids, transverse band of skin over lumboscaral area, midline of back and perineum have been described to be immune to the development of lesions in leprosy. But clinical, histological and bacteriological evidence of involvement of these so called immune zones though infrequent have been documented. Hence, these immune zones should be termed a...
Source: Indian Journal of Dermatology - September 10, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Rajashekar T S, Singh Gurcharan, Naik L Chandra Source Type: journals

Erythema nodosum leprosum as the presenting feature in multibacillary leprosy.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Leprosy is an ancient disease that has survived into the modern ages despite an intense effort to eliminate it worldwide. Here we report a case of a 32-year-old woman who had recurrent painful nodules of six months duration. Because of a lack of lesions suggestive of leprosy, she was initially diagnosed to have cutaneous vasculitis and erythema nodosum. However, because of the persistent nature of her condition she was later detected to have leprosy and erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) with the aid of simple diagnostic tests. PMID: 19723489 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Dermatol Online J)
Source: Dermatol Online J - September 4, 2009 Category: Dermatology Authors: Prabhu S, Shenoi SD, Pai SB, Sripathi H Tags: Dermatol Online J Source Type: journals