18 Diseases The World Has Turned Its Back On
This article is part HuffPost’s Project Zero campaign, a yearlong series on neglected tropical diseases and efforts to eliminate them.
More than 1 billion people on the planet suffer from illnesses that the world pays little attention to.
Neglected tropical diseases are a group of at least 18 diseases that primarily affect people living in poverty in tropical regions of the world and are virtually unknown elsewhere, according to the World Health Organization.
These are diseases like river blindness, which has infected 18 million people worldwide and caused blindness in 270,000 people; or...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - December 6, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Suicide Is Our Modern Day Leprosy
When I was preparing a talk about suicide prevention for a local church, there were moments when I become emotional just thinking about the subject matter. I felt confident when I started the presentation for a fantastic group of lay counselors, but did not plan for the water works to begin five minutes into the talk.
It wasn’t just the heavy topic matter, it was looking at a room of people and realizing they took time from their busy schedules to learn more about what they can do to prevent suicide. I was overwhelmed by their compassion. Suicide prevention needs to be discussed everywhere and it’s a must-have discu...
Source: Psych Central - November 30, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tina Arnoldi Tags: Depression Personal Stories Spirituality Suicide Bipolar Disorder Christianity Faith Mental Disorder Parasuicide Religion Suicidal Ideation Suicide Prevention Source Type: news
Man who caught leprosy from an armadillo in Florida describes agonizing ordeal
Mel Riser, who lives with his wife and children in Austin, Texas, lost his ability to walk and see after becoming infected with the disease. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - November 24, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Nigeria: Senator Decries State of Minna Leprosy Centre
[Daily Trust] Minna -The Senator representing Niger East Senatorial district, Barrister David Umaru has expressed worries over the state of facilities at the Leprosy Centre near Chanchanga, Minna, Niger state and called for urgent interventions aimed at mitigating the suffering of the patients. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)
Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine - November 21, 2016 Category: African Health Source Type: news
Medieval strain of leprosy discovered in UK squirrels
Leprosy was thought to have been eradicated from the UK for centuries -- until now. It turns out the disease has been harbored, perhaps since the Middle Ages, in red squirrels in the British Isles. And research indicates that these squirrels could transmit the disease to humans, though the chances are low. (Source: CNN.com - Health)
Source: CNN.com - Health - November 17, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Red squirrels in the UK could bring back leprosy
Scientists tested DNA samples from 25 red squirrels living on Brownsea Island, Dorset, and found that every one was infected with the leprosy bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - November 11, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
[Perspective] Leprosy in red squirrels
In 1873, the Norwegian doctor Armauer Hansen helped to lay the foundations of modern microbiology when he discovered that leprosy was an infectious disease, not an inherited condition. However, his attempts to cultivate the rod-shaped bacilli that he had observed in microscopic studies of tissues from leprosy patients were unsuccessful, emphasizing the unique growth requirements of these bacilli. Even today, Mycobacterium leprae, the causative organism of leprosy, cannot be grown on culture media, and many questions remain about its mode of transmission and epidemiology (1). The unexpected identification of red squirrels (...
Source: ScienceNOW - November 10, 2016 Category: Science Authors: Timothy P. Stinear Tags: Epidemiology Source Type: news
[This Week in Science] British squirrels infected with leprosy
Author: Caroline Ash (Source: ScienceNOW)
Source: ScienceNOW - November 10, 2016 Category: Science Authors: Caroline Ash Tags: Wildlife Disease Source Type: news
[Report] Red squirrels in the British Isles are infected with leprosy bacilli
Leprosy, caused by infection with Mycobacterium leprae or the recently discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis, was once endemic in humans in the British Isles. Red squirrels in Great Britain (Sciurus vulgaris) have increasingly been observed with leprosy-like lesions on the head and limbs. Using genomics, histopathology, and serology, we found M. lepromatosis in squirrels from England, Ireland, and Scotland, and M. leprae in squirrels from Brownsea Island, England. Infection was detected in overtly diseased and seemingly healthy animals. Phylogenetic comparisons of British and Irish M. lepromatosis with two Mexican strains ...
Source: ScienceNOW - November 10, 2016 Category: Science Authors: Charlotte Avanzi Source Type: news
Global Health: Squirrel Nutkin Could Have Had Leprosy, Study Finds
Genetic analyses of 25 squirrels in Britain showed that they were infected with M. leprae, a cause of leprosy in humans. (Source: NYT Health)
Source: NYT Health - November 10, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Tags: Squirrels Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) Great Britain Cole, Stewart T. Science (Journal) Source Type: news
Leprosy revealed in red squirrels across British Isles
Scientists believe the animals have been infected with the disfiguring disease for centuries and pose little risk to humans todayLeprosy has been found in red squirrels across the British Isles and scientists believe they have been infected with the disfiguring disease for centuries.The endangered animals carry the same bacteria that cause the human disease,research has revealed. This results in lesions on their muzzles, ears and paws, adding to the sharp decline in their numberscaused by invading grey squirrels, which appear immune to the disease.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - November 10, 2016 Category: Science Authors: Damian Carrington Tags: Wildlife Conservation Environment UK news Biology Science Zoology Animals Health Society Source Type: news
Red squirrels in the British Isles are infected with leprosy bacteria
(Ecole Polytechnique F é d é rale de Lausanne) Microbiologists at EPFL and the University of Edinburgh have discovered that red squirrels in Britain and Ireland carry the two bacterial species that cause leprosy in humans. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - November 10, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Red squirrels stricken by medieval strain of leprosy, study shows
(University of Edinburgh) Leprosy in Britain's red squirrels is being caused by the same species of bacteria responsible for human infections, a DNA study has found. One of the strains -- affecting squirrels on Brownsea Island, off England's south coast -- shares close similarities with that responsible for outbreaks of the disease in medieval Europe. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - November 10, 2016 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Dr. Ted Brown wants to know if laughter can help MS patients
Dr. Ted Brown spent nine years living and working with leprosy patients in Thailand before returning to Seattle to treat patients with multiple sclerosis.
While his overseas work was one of the highlights of his life, he had begun to feel burned-out.
“I thought if I was going to do something with my career, I need to go back to the U.S.,” he said. “I was interested in getting back into rehabilitation.”
That’s when he called an old mentor from the University of Washington for a letter… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines - October 6, 2016 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Coral Garnick Source Type: news
Dr. Ted Brown wants to know if laughter can help MS patients
Dr. Ted Brown spent nine years living and working with leprosy patients in Thailand before returning to Seattle to treat patients with multiple sclerosis.
While his overseas work was one of the highlights of his life, he had begun to feel burned-out.
“I thought if I was going to do something with my career, I need to go back to the U.S.,” he said. “I was interested in getting back into rehabilitation.”
That’s when he called an old mentor from the University of Washington for a letter… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines)
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Pharmaceuticals headlines - October 6, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Coral Garnick Source Type: news
