Leprosy: The Oldest Human Disease

The word leprosy comes from the Greek word Lepra, meaning scaly skin. It is called Hansen’s Disease, named after G.H. Hansen, who discovered in 1873 the bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae.

Worldwide, about 200,000 cases of leprosy are found, and about 150–200 in the U.S. In the past two decades, sixteen million people diagnosed with leprosy have been cured. The United Health Organization provides free treatments to all…