Latest news with #leprosy
Japan Times
07-07-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Former Hansen's disease patients shed light on history of discrimination
At the 13 national sanatoriums for Hansen's disease patients across Japan, the average age of residents has exceeded 88, and the movement led by former patients seeking the restoration of their human rights is gradually approaching its end. Although the prejudice and discrimination against them brought on by the government's prior segregation policy persist, the memories of their hardships are now fading in society. To ensure that lessons learned from the misguided policy are passed on to future generations, former patients are speaking up about their experiences. Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It doesn't spread easily and is fully curable with appropriate treatment. However, the Japanese government maintained a forced segregation policy for nearly 90 years until the Leprosy Prevention Law was abolished in 1996. The segregation policy led to severe prejudice and discrimination against patients and those who had recovered, as well as their families. In 2001, the Kumamoto District Court ruled the policy unconstitutional and ordered the state to pay compensation. The government issued a formal apology after deciding not to appeal the ruling. At National Sanatorium Matsuoka Hoyoen in the city of Aomori, one of the state-run Hansen's disease facilities, the remains of 1,179 former patients who were never able to return home rest in a modest ossuary. 'Even after we're gone, this place must be preserved, whatever it takes,' said former patient Masaru Sato, 76, as he clasped his hands in prayer toward his fellow residents. The sanatorium was established in 1909 and has accepted over 3,000 residents to date. As of the end of February this year, there were 40 residents, with an average age of 89.6. Behind their quiet lives today lies a long history of hardship and painful struggles. Sato developed Hansen's disease just before graduating from elementary school. His mother, after reading a letter from his teacher, told him that he could not attend junior high school. 'I felt like I had been thrown into a bottomless pit,' Sato said. For about two years, he stayed at home in isolation with his father, who also had the same disease. Discrimination eventually extended to family members. One day, his sister came home crying after being told not to come to school. His father had been resisting the move to a sanatorium, but perhaps because of this incident, the father made up his mind to enter Matsuoka Hoyoen with Sato. However, the father died soon after. The local authorities refused to carry out cremation due to the disease, and the father's body had to be buried. In April 1963, then-15-year-old Sato was admitted to a youth dormitory at the sanatorium. The name 'Masaru Sato' was given to him by a senior resident; it was customary at the time to use a 'sanatorium name' to shield family members from discrimination. Eventually, residents at the sanatorium became able to go out more freely as restrictions were eased in stages. Sato felt exhilarated when experiencing the outside world. He obtained a driver's license to expand his horizon and hoped to leave the facility as quickly as possible. The abolition of the Leprosy Prevention Law, the court ruling against segregation and the government's apology — all of these seemed to lower the barriers for residents to reintegrate into society. However, Sato could never be free from anxiety. 'If society won't accept me, I'd rather stay with people who share the same pain,' he said in explaining why he chose to live the rest of his life in the sanatorium. The government pledged that those who wish to stay in sanatoriums could do so for as long as they want. However, discussions have only just begun on how to preserve these facilities and pass on their historical lessons after no residents remain. Since 2019, Sato has been the sole manager of the Matsuoka Hoyoen residents' association, which was set up to protect their human rights. Negotiations with the city of Aomori regarding the future of the sanatorium remain stalled. Sato hopes to exchange views with local residents, but interactions cut off by the COVID-19 pandemic have yet to fully resume. 'It's tough, but we must move things forward,' Sato said anxiously. 'This place must never be allowed to revert to a field.' Ryuichi Kimura talks about his pottery at his workshop built on a plot adjacent to Matsuoka Hoyoen. | Kahoku Shimpo Ryuichi Kimura, 81, another resident, has built a pottery workshop on a plot of land next to the sanatorium. Looking at his works — over 200 — displayed there, he says he doesn't want society to forget. 'I want to leave proof of how I lived with Hansen's disease,' he says. Kimura was born the eldest son of a farming family in Akita Prefecture and developed Hansen's disease as a junior high school student. He entered the sanatorium after being told that he would be discharged in six months. But by observing others, he quickly realized that it would not be easy to leave. From around 1955, restrictions at sanatoriums nationwide began to be relaxed, and some patients voluntarily left after recovery. Kimura also recovered with treatment and reintegrated into society in 1964. Thanks to the economic boom with the Tokyo Olympics held that year, he was able to make a living by working in the construction sector. However, his hands, numbed by the aftereffects of the disease, swelled painfully from the hard labor. Unable to find doctors at general hospitals who understood his symptoms or could treat them, he had to return to the sanatorium repeatedly for care. After undergoing several surgeries, he moved back to Akita Prefecture upon marriage and worked as a driver for 19 years. Although he discovered a passion for pottery and enjoyed fulfilling days with workmates and friends, thoughts of how he would spend his twilight years always lingered. 'I had no children and no place to take me in. I always knew I'd return to the sanatorium,' he says. He never disclosed his past at the sanatorium to those around him. Shortly before turning 50, Kimura returned to the facility in 1991. He continued his pottery and crafted user-friendly pieces for residents with limited hand mobility, including double-walled teacups that insulated heat and cups with attachments to hold straws. His creations — inspired by feedback from residents and staff — offer a glimpse into life in the facility. 'There are many records of the battles fought by those before us, but only a few people will ever pick them up,' Kimura said, adding that he hopes to widen public awareness through pottery that people are familiar with. 'To eliminate prejudice, we need the attention of people in our immediate neighborhoods.' The government has implemented awareness campaigns and human rights education to combat prejudice against Hansen's disease, but public understanding remains limited. A national survey conducted in December 2023 showed that only about half of respondents said they 'knew' or 'knew somewhat' about the forced segregation policy. Only 36.2% were aware that sanatoriums still exist and that former patients continue to live there. While society's interests and memories may fade, the scars left in the lives of former patients remain. 'I want to imagine that if I hadn't gotten sick, maybe I'd have inherited the family farm and been surrounded by children and grandchildren now,' Kimura murmured. 'But I just can't picture it.' This section features topics and issues from the Tohoku region covered by the Kahoku Shimpo, the largest newspaper in Tohoku. The original articles were published March 23 and March 24.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mysterious Leprosy Pathogen Has Lurked in The Americas For 4,000 Years
A new study has found that leprosy was circulating in Chile some 4,000 years ago, meaning the disease arrived in the Americas much earlier than previously thought. That's based on an analysis of ancient bones and teeth by researchers from institutions in Germany, Argentina, and Chile, and it challenges the conventional wisdom that leprosy was a disease introduced by European settlers from the 16th century onwards. Through a comprehensive study of DNA fragments found in two human skeletons, the researchers were able to match the genetic material to the Mycobacterium lepromatosis pathogen – the less common of two bacteria known to cause leprosy. "We were initially suspicious, since leprosy is regarded as a colonial-era disease, but more careful evaluation of the DNA revealed the pathogen to be of the lepromatosis form," says anthropologist Darío Ramirez, from the National University of Córdoba in Argentina. Related: Scientists are still learning about M. lepromatosis, which has only recently been identified. Another bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae, is the dominant strain behind leprosy, and its history and spread has been more clearly mapped to date. While there's a scarcity of samples in the Americas, M. leprae has been tracked back for thousands of years across Eurasia, which is part of the reason why researchers have long thought it traveled from Europe across the Atlantic. Another recent study found traces of M. lepromatosis in remains from Canada and Argentina, stretching back at least a thousand years – again before European settlers showed up. This new find, pushing its arrival back millennia earlier, adds further evidence that we need to rethink the history of leprosy. "Ancient DNA has become a great tool that allows us to dig deeper into diseases that have had a long history in the Americas," says anthropologist Kirsten Bos, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. "The advanced techniques now used to study ancient pathogen DNA allows us to look beyond the suspects and into other diseases that might not be expected from the context." Trying to pick apart this history of disease isn't easy. Indigenous American peoples would certainly have had afflictions of their own, but they would have also been hit hard by infections imported by colonists – infections their bodies were poorly prepared for. The researchers are confident that there's more to the story, in terms of both modern and ancient forms of the disease – especially in regards to M. lepromatosis. Each archaeological dig and clinical test gives experts more genomes to work with, which then further helps our understanding of disease history, spread, and diversification. Part of the skill needed by researchers is knowing what to look for, which is highlighted by this study – previous work in this area may have missed ancient markers of leprosy, simply because no one thought to look for it. "This disease was present in Chile as early as 4,000 years ago, and now that we know it was there, we can specifically look for it in other contexts," says anthropologist Rodrigo Nores, from the National University of Córdoba. The research has been published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. Massive Review Finds No 'Safe' Level of Processed Meat Consumption Ozempic-Like Drugs Could Treat Chronic Migraines, Trial Finds Gut Bacteria Found to Soak Up Toxic Forever Chemicals
Free Malaysia Today
26-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Will body parts fall off? Dispelling myths about leprosy
Leprosy is an infection caused by the slow-growing bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA : Leprosy, also known as Leprosy, also known as Hansen's Disease , is a chronic infectious illness caused by the slow-growing bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. While often considered a disease of the past, leprosy continues to affect thousands worldwide. Early signs include reddish or pale patches on the skin, painless ulcers on the feet, muscle weakness, and numbness. Delayed diagnosis can lead to severe complications, including deformities, blindness, and chronic pain. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 200,000 new cases of leprosy are reported globally each year, with the majority in Brazil, India, and Indonesia. While Malaysia has achieved leprosy elimination at the national level (fewer than one case per 10,000 people), the fight is not over: recent trends show a concerning rise in new cases in some parts of the country. In fact, Malaysia recorded a 40% increase in leprosy cases in 2023, while cases – including one death – have been reported this year in Negeri Sembilan and Kelantan. Sadly, misunderstanding and fear still surround this illness, often leading to unnecessary discrimination and isolation of those affected. Stigma makes people hide their symptoms, delay treatment, and feel alone. This not only hurts them – it also makes it harder to stop the spread of the disease. Here are some myths and facts surrounding leprosy: Myth: Leprosy is highly contagious. Fact: Leprosy spreads through prolonged, close contact via droplets from coughing or sneezing. Once treatment begins, patients quickly become non-infectious. Leprosy is highly contagious. Leprosy spreads through prolonged, close contact via droplets from coughing or sneezing. Once treatment begins, patients quickly become non-infectious. Myth: Leprosy is a curse or punishment for sin. Fact: Leprosy is a bacterial infection that has nothing to do with curses or sin – a misconception likely influenced by mention of the disease in historical texts and holy books. As early stages of leprosy can be mistaken for other diseases, early diagnosis is crucial. (Wikipedia pic) Myth: Leprosy causes body parts to fall off. Fact: This is entirely untrue. However, if untreated, leprosy can cause nerve damage, which may lead to injuries due to loss of sensation. These injuries, in turn, could become infected and cause complications. Leprosy causes body parts to fall off. This is entirely untrue. However, if untreated, leprosy can cause nerve damage, which may lead to injuries due to loss of sensation. These injuries, in turn, could become infected and cause complications. Myth: Leprosy has no cure. Fact: Multi-drug therapy – a combination of antibiotics typically with a six- to 12-month treatment course – is highly effective in treating leprosy. Leprosy has no cure. Multi-drug therapy – a combination of antibiotics typically with a six- to 12-month treatment course – is highly effective in treating leprosy. Myth: People with leprosy should be isolated. Fact: There is no need to isolate people with leprosy as, with early diagnosis and treatment, they can live normal lives without risk to others. Hope for the future The health ministry has launched the LaKAR programme ('latihan, kesan, analisa, rawat, rujuk'), aimed at training healthcare staff, improving early detection, and raising public awareness. The government also uses single-dose rifampicin as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for close contacts of leprosy patients: a strategy proven effective in reducing transmission, especially in high-risk communities. Ultimately, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial, and a supportive, informed community can make all the difference. By dispelling myths and ending stigma, more people can be encouraged to seek help and prevent unnecessary suffering. With continued vigilance, compassion, and public cooperation, Malaysia can move closer to eliminating leprosy once and for all. For more information, visit the Malaysian Leprosy Relief Association website. This article was written by final-year medical students of Group 8A Community Posting, supervised by Prof Dr Rafdzah Ahmad Zaki from the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya.
Times
17-06-2025
- Health
- Times
Clappers, colonies and poisoned wells: a surprising history of leprosy
'What strange ideas people have about leprosy, doctor,' a character wonders in Graham Greene's 1960 novel A Burnt-Out Case, set in a Congolese leper colony. 'They learn about it from the Bible, like sex,' the doctor replies wearily. There's a great deal of historical truth in this wry exchange, the journalist Oliver Basciano tells us in this wide-ranging, globetrotting survey of the disease. Leprosy makes its literary premiere in Leviticus. In the Old Testament, those stricken with tzaraath are unclean and unworthy, deserving of ostracism as well as charity. The coinage lepra — scaly, in the manner of a snake — we owe to the Alexandrian Jewish scribes who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek. But in the New Testament and later in the Middle Ages leprosy was regarded as a divine blessing. Basciano's chapter on medieval leprosy is the most arresting of this book. Living with leprosy was deemed akin to suffering in purgatory. At death, then, the leper could expect an easy passage to Heaven.
Fox News
05-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
New study reveals leprosy existed in the Americas before European explorers arrived
Scientists say a species of bacteria rewrites the history of when an infectious and potentially deadly disease first arrived in the Americas. And it was long before the arrival of European explorers. Researchers from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, with help from a U.S. university, recently announced in a news release that a second species of bacteria is also responsible for the disease known as leprosy, or Hansen's disease, in the Americas. In years past, many believed that the bacterium known as Mycobacterium leprae caused leprosy and that it was only spread in America by early European explorers and settlers. However, the revelation of a second bacterium puts that theory of blaming the settlers on its head, as an existing strain was already on the continents calling the New World home. The bacterium Mycobacterium lepromatosis existed and infected humans for 1,000 years prior to Europeans arriving, researchers say. Dr. Maria Lopopolo, the first author of the study and researcher at the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur, said it changes everything about leprosy in the Americas. "This discovery transforms our understanding of the history of leprosy in America. It shows that a form of the disease was already endemic among Indigenous populations well before the Europeans arrived," she said in the release. The study — led by scientists from the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur, alongside the French National Center for Scientific Research, and the University of Colorado in the U.S. — began after Mycobacterium lepromatosis was found in a Mexican patient in 2008, and red squirrels in the British Isles in 2016. Using advanced genetic techniques to reconstruct the genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis from ancient individuals from Argentina and Canada, scientists found that the two strains from the different regions were genetically close in the Mycobacterium genome family tree, meaning that the bacteria spread rapidly throughout the continent. The release stated that the results confirmed that Mycobacterium lepromatosis had already spread throughout North and South America. Researchers worked in collaboration with indigenous communities, various international institutions and archaeologists, according to the release, and were able to study over 800 DNA samples from ancient human remains and recent medical cases showing signs of leprosy. Nicolás Rascovan, the lead author of the study at the Institut Pasteur, said that the research proves that human history can be changed. "We are just beginning to uncover the diversity and global movements of this recently identified pathogen," he said. "This study allows us to hypothesize that there might be unknown animal reservoirs." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says leprosy can affect the nerves, skin and eyes of patients, and is treated with antibiotics. Up to 225 people in the U.S., and 250,000 around the world, contract Hansen's disease, according to the CDC.
