Leprosy is a bacterial infection. In ancient times it was a feared disease. Nowadays, effective treatments exist. However, resistance to the treatments has been reported and high numbers of cases worldwide have led to global concern. Hence, new therapies are always needed.
Disease: Leprosy
Last update: May 2005
Intro
FAQ: What does the future hold?
The emergence of resistant strains of the bacteria that cause leprosy means that new therapies constantly need to be developed.
There is currently research under way into the use of a vaccine to control the spread of leprosy, but more work is needed before this approach can be recommended.
As yet, scientists have been unable to successfully culture the bacteria for study, but the availability of new genetic information is now directing researchers towards a number of different treatment options.
There is currently research under way into the use of a vaccine to control the spread of leprosy, but more work is needed before this approach can be recommended.
As yet, scientists have been unable to successfully culture the bacteria for study, but the availability of new genetic information is now directing researchers towards a number of different treatment options.