Eliminate Leprosy

 

Leprosy or Hansen’s Disease: is a communicable disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Mycobacterium leprae is an acid-fast, rod-shaped bacillus that mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and also the eyes. It mainly affects the skin and nerves and progresses slowly with an average incubation period of three years. The earliest documented account of leprosy is around 1550 B.C. on Egyptian papyrus. Throughout its history, leprosy has been feared and misunderstood, often thought to be a hereditary disease, a curse, or a punishment from God. Researchers have found that the bacteria is commonly spread via nasal secretions. The only way to develop leprosy is to come into contact with someone who is carrying the disease.​Leprosy has been treated in many ways throughout history, from using the oil of a chaulmoogra nut in the early twentieth century, prominin in 1941, Dapsone pills in 1950, to the highly effective multi-drug therapy regimen (consisting of rifampin, clofazimine, and dapsone). Fortunately, if detected early and treated with multi-drug therapy, leprosy will not lead to deformities and leprosy patients can lead completely normal lives. ​Global efforts have been trying to reduce the disease burden of leprosy and proceed toward eradication for over twenty years. Elimination of an infectious disease such as leprosy requires a highly effective vaccine. Various countries around the world, namely India and Brazil, currently use the Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis to double as a leprosy vaccine, as the two diseases are caused by similar mycobacterial agents. However, the effectiveness of this approach is widely disputable. Recently doctors have been using a drug named Rifampicin (RFP) as a drug to eliminate leprosy. The drug is administered in a single monthly dose, a protocol for which no significant toxic effect has been reported. Exceptionally bactericidal against M. leprae, a single dose of 600 mg of RFP is capable of killing 99.9% or more of viable organisms. However, the rate of killing is not proportionately enhanced by subsequent doses. It has been suggested that RFP may exert a delayed antibiotic effect for several days, during which the organism's multiplication is inhibited. The high bactericidal activity of RFP made feasible the application of the single monthly dose, which is cost-effective for leprosy-control programs. ​

 

Leprosy Statistics by Country per every 10,000 people:

People for every 10,000                Total Lepers:

Brazil - 4.5                                     77,676

Nepal - 4.4                                    10,657

India - 4.3                                      439,782

Monzabique - 3.1                           6,775                          

Angola - 1.8                                   4,115

Myamar - 1                                    8,237

All Other Countries Unknown​​

 

Your donation to this cause will help children and adults that have been diagnosed with leprosy and other skin disease. Through the evaluation of their needs and giving priority to those needs, money will be allocated appropriately. The evaluation looks at the basic elements, in the disease of leprosy. The "Needs Commitee" of the Board of Dirctors will prioritze the various needs of the lepers. This fund aids in the reduction of leprosy which, has an effect on all people of the world.