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26th June 2014 #1
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Leprosy - surely a disease of the past ?
Unfortunately not so . There are up to a quarter of a million new cases in tropics and subtropical areas of the world each year. Numbers HAVE fallen dramatically in the past 2 decades - from over 20 / 10,000 to less than 1 / 10,000 at global level. India, Brazil, Congo, Mozambique and Nepal have high case rates.
• NOT highly infectious, being transmitted by droplets from nose and mouth, during close contact with untreated cases.
• Mainly affects skin, nerves, upper air passages, and eyes.
• Diagnosed clinically ( with skin samples ).
• Curable with multidrug therapy ( dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine ). No known drug resistance ( so far ).
• Two main types – “ lepromatous “ ( commoner, many “ bugs “ present ); and “ tuberculoid “ ( few “ bugs “ present ). The “ bug “ causing leprosy is related to the tuberculosis “ bug “ and in fact BCG vaccination may give about 50% protection.
• There may be about 2000 new cases / year of leprosy in the Philippines.
• Free treatment is available in the Philippines, provided by the Swiss healthcare company Novartis, working with the Department of Health and World Health Organization. Novartis is committed to drug donation until 2020. Obviously cases need to be found and diagnosed – there is a " Kilatis Kutis ( skin screening ) Campaign " . Childhood / newborn BCG vaccination is also free.
• A leper colony was formed in 1904, on the island of Culion, in the northernmost chain of Palawan islands.
• In this more enlightened age, treatment is free at health centers, and :-
East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City;
Jose Reyes Medical Center in Manila;
Makati Medical Center ;
Ospital ng Maynila ;
RITM in Muntinlupa ;
Quirino Memorial Med Center ;
St. Luke's Medical Center ;
Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao ;
UST Manila ;
UE Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center ;
and Philippine General Hospital.
• Leprosy should be understood and not feared – if it’s diagnosed early and treated properly people affected should lead normal lives – including travel - without discrimination .
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle...e-wiped-out-ph
http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines/..._programme/en/
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