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Leprosy: what is new

Avneet Randhawa1, Rajendra Kapila1, Robert A Schwartz1

  • 1Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.

International Journal of Dermatology
|November 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Leprosy (Hansen's disease) research highlights new insights into its causes, including Mycobacterium lepromatosis and zoonotic transmission. Advances include the LepVax vaccine and understanding genetic susceptibility factors.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Genetics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic granulomatous infection with significant cutaneous and neurologic manifestations.
  • Historically attributed to Mycobacterium leprae, a second species, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, was identified in 2008.
  • The current BCG vaccine's efficacy is variable, prompting the development of novel interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an updated overview of leprosy research.
  • To discuss emerging etiological factors, transmission routes, and genetic predispositions.
  • To explore the impact of coinfections and advancements in therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent scientific literature on leprosy.
  • Analysis of new findings regarding causative agents and transmission.
  • Examination of genetic studies and vaccine development progress.

Main Results:

  • Identification of Mycobacterium lepromatosis as an additional causative agent.
  • Emerging evidence for zoonotic transmission from armadillos and Eurasian red squirrels.
  • Discovery of genetic polymorphisms, like MRPS5, influencing leprosy susceptibility.
  • Advancement of the LepVax subunit vaccine into human trials.
  • Investigation into leprosy coinfections with COVID-19, HIV, and HTLV-1.

Conclusions:

  • Leprosy research is rapidly evolving with new causative agents and transmission pathways.
  • Genetic insights and novel vaccines like LepVax offer promising future directions.
  • Understanding coinfections and updated treatment regimens are crucial for managing leprosy.

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