leprosy

[ lep-ruh-see ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a chronic, mildly infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affecting the peripheral nervous system, skin, and nasal mucosa and variously characterized by ulcerations, tubercular nodules, and loss of sensation that sometimes leads to traumatic amputation of the anesthetized part.

leprosy

/ ˈlɛprəsɪ /

noun

1. pathol a chronic infectious disease occurring mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, characterized by the formation of painful inflamed nodules beneath the skin and disfigurement and wasting of affected parts, caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae Also calledHansen's disease

leprosy

/ lĕp′rə-sē /

1. A slowly progressive, chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, that damages nerves, skin, and mucous membranes, and can lead to loss of sensation, paralysis, gangrene, and deformity if untreated.

leprosy

1. A chronic and infectious disease , characterized by patches of altered skin and nerve tissue (lesions) that gradually spread to cause muscle weakness, deformities, and paralysis . Some forms of antibiotics are now used to treat this disease, and plastic surgery can help correct the deformities it causes. Also called Hansen's disease.

Notes

Leprosy has been well known since ancient times, when widespread fear of those afflicted with the disease caused them to be treated as outcasts. Today, the term leper is often used to refer to a person excluded from society.

Other Words From

• lep·rot·ic [le-, prot, -ik], adjective
• anti·lepro·sy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of leprosy¹

First recorded in 1525–35; perhaps from Medieval Latin leprōsia (recorded only as synonym for leprosarium ), from Greek léprōs(is) “leprosy” + -ia -y ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of leprosy¹

C16: from leprous + -y ³

Example Sentences

Cockroaches carry a wide range of diseases and pathogens including bubonic plague, dysentery, hepatitis, hookworms, leprosy, salmonella and polio.

From Salon

One of the images showed the king with leprosy and one without - as historians have long debated whether The Bruce suffered from the disease.

From BBC

Evidence from archaeological sites in the medieval English city of Winchester shows that English red squirrels once served as an important host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people, researchers report May 3 in the journal Current Biology.

From Science Daily

"With our genetic analysis we were able to identify red squirrels as the first ancient animal host of leprosy," says senior author Verena Schuenemann of the University of Basel in Switzerland.

From Science Daily

Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in human history and is still prevalent to this day in Asia, Africa, and South America.

From Science Daily