European colonialism and the slave trade probably played a key role in the spread of leprosy, research suggests.
The disease appears to have originated in East Africa, and spread to Asia and Europe before reaching West Africa, and then the Caribbean and South America.
The findings are based on a genetic analysis of different strains of the bacterium which causes leprosy.
The international study, led by the Pasteur Institute in Paris, is published in the journal Science.
The findings are based on a genetic analysis of different strains of the bacterium which causes leprosy.
The international study, led by the Pasteur Institute in Paris, is published in the journal Science.
It is hoped the findings will help public health experts better understand how leprosy is spread - and thus track the disease more effectively.
Better understanding of the genetics of the disease might also help improve treatment, as it could enable doctors to pin down whether a patient has a new infection, or a recurrence of a previous infection.
One of the oldest known human diseases, leprosy is still a significant problem in parts of the developing world. Around 500,000 new cases were detected in 2003.
Caroline Ash, senior editor at Science, said: "The better we can understand this pathogen's genome and the subtle differences among its various strains worldwide, the better position we will be in to ultimately eliminate the disease."
Caroline Ash, senior editor at Science, said: "The better we can understand this pathogen's genome and the subtle differences among its various strains worldwide, the better position we will be in to ultimately eliminate the disease."
No comments:
Post a Comment