Journal of

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Background and Aim: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that typically affects the skin and peripheral nerves and can cause irreversible disabilities. The objective of this study was to assess the status of disability caused by leprosy in the Golestan Province in Iran.

Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, patients affected with leprosy whom were referred to Health Network in Golestan Province from April 1971 to September 2008 were studied. Sampling method was simple census method. Data collected from the medical records of patients were statistically described and analyzed.

Results: In this 38-year period, from 100 leprosy patients investigated, 68% were men. Average age was 35.6±16.4 years. The majority of cases were in rural areas (78%) and mostly were labor jobs (39%). Clinical type of the disease was multibacillary (MB) in 64% cases. 62% of patients had MDT treatment. The majority of lesions in patients were macules (15%). Performance problem were positive in 6 percent and was negative or uncertain in others. Disability was more common in male patients, and most disable patients were 35-55 years old.

Conlusion: Most leprosy patients in Golestan Province had grade 0 or 1 disability.

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Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease which mainly affects the skin and peripheral nervous system. It has been associated with significant fear and stigma because of causing disabilities and deformities. According to the latest reports by World Health Organization (WHO), there were more than 180000 registered leprosy cases in the first quarter of 2014 and over 214000 new cases were detected in 2013. In this brief review, updates on a new causative agent for leprosy, Mycobactrium leprosmatosis, armadillos and the possibility of existence of a zoonotic form of leprosy, new strains of M. leprae and their importance, and the latest available leprosy statistics in Iran will be presented.

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ntroduction: Leprosy is an infectious disease which primarily affect skin and peripheral nerves. Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis that are the acid-fast bacillus are known to be cause of leprosy. Genetic factors and immunological function have some roles in susceptibility of developing leprosy. There are some cases of familial leprosy.

Case Report: Here in, we report a case of familial leprosy which in one member it was symptomatic and others were asymptomatic with positive skin smear for mycobacterium leprosy bacilli.

Conclusion: We recommend in addition to approach and manage lepromatous patients, their families be also evaluated.