Leprosy in China: Difference between revisions

'''[[Leprosy]]''' was said to be first recognized in the [[ancient civilization]]s of '''[[China]]''', [[Egypt]], and [[India]], according to the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO).<ref>[https://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs101/en/ WHO | Leprosy Factsheet]</ref> Leprosy, also known as '''Hansen's disease''', was officially eliminated at the national level in China by 1982, meaning prevalence is lower than 1 in 100,000. There are 3,510 active cases today. Though leprosy has been brought under control in general, the situation in some areas is worsening, according to China's [[Ministry of Health (China)|Ministry of Health]]. In the past, leprosy sufferers were ostracized by their communities as the disease was incurable, disfiguring, and wrongly thought to be highly infectious.

Mostly, cases of infection remain in impoverished parts in the southwestern provinces of [[Yunnan]], [[Guizhou]], and [[Sichuan]], and [[Tibet]] in the west and [[Hunan]] in the Southsouth. Other provinces/municipalities affected on a smaller scale, are [[Anhui]], [[Qinghai]], [[Chongqing]], [[Guangdong]], and [[Shaanxi]].{{cn|date=April 2023}}

Contrary to popular belief, leprosy ranks lowlylow in terms of infectiousness and is not congenital. It is passed via [[respiratory]] droplets among people in close and prolonged contact. The transmission rate is low and 95 percent of people are naturally [[immune]] to it. Caused by the bacterium ''[[Mycobacterium leprae]]'', leprosy affects the skin, mucous membranes, peripheral nerves, and eyes. As nerve damage is permanent, even those who have recovered can notcannot feel pain. Minor cuts and abrasions on fingers and toes often turn into gaping, inflamed ulcers because of unsanitary living conditions. These open sores overrun the digits, which slowly shrink and many sufferers end up with stumps. Some have legs amputated.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

In China, [[dapsone]] was used from 1946 to treat leprosy, but treatment of the disease took a leap in 1982 with the introduction of a largely successful [[multidrug therapy]] (MDT) using dapsone, [[rifampicin]], and [[clofazimine]]. Today, therapy takes six months to a year. MDT treatment has been made available by the WHO free of charge to all [[patient]]s worldwide since 1995, and provides a simple yet highly effective cure for all types of leprosy.<ref>[https://www.who.int/lep/en/ WHO | Leprosy Today]</ref> If diagnosed and treated early, the disease leaves no traces. But in some places in China, stigma still surrounds the disease and victims do not seek treatment until it is too late.{{cn|date=April 2023}}

In current -day China, leprosy is strongly associated with poverty and stigma remains a significant barrier to effective treatment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1136867/discrimination-still-plagues-leprosy-victims-mainland-china|title = Discrimination still plagues leprosy victims in mainland China| date=27 January 2013 }}</ref>