| leprosy | <infectious disease> Caused by Mycobacterium leprae, an obligate intracellular parasite that survives lysosomal enzyme attack by possessing a waxy coat. Leprosy is a chronic disease associated with depressed cellular (but not humoral) immunity, the bacterium requires a lower temperature than 37쵣 and thrives particularly in peripheral Schwann cells and macrophages. Only humans and the nine banded armadillo are susceptible. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| leprosy bacillus | A species of gram-positive, aerobic bacteria that causes leprosy in man. Its organisms are generally arranged in clumps, rounded masses, or in groups of bacilli side by side. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leprosy test | <investigation> A test for leprosy where an extract of infected tissue (antigen) is injected under the skin to determine if you have a current or recent leprosy infection. Normally, little or no skin reaction should result from the injection. A positive skin reaction indicates a leprosy infection. (27 Sep 1997) |
| leprosy, borderline | A form of leprosy in which there are clinical manifestations of both principal types (lepromatous and tuberculoid). The disease may shift toward one of these two polar or principal forms. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leprosy, lepromatous | A chronic communicable infection which is a principal or polar form of leprosy. This disorder is caused by mycobacterium leprae and produces diffuse granulomatous skin lesions in the form of nodules, macules, or papules. The peripheral nerves are involved symmetrically and neural sequelae occur in the advanced stage. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leprosy, tuberculoid | A principal or polar form of leprosy in which the skin lesions are few and are sharply demarcated. Peripheral nerve involvement is pronounced and may be severe. Unlike lepromatous leprosy (leprosy, lepromatous), the lepromin test is positive. Tuberculoid leprosy is rarely a source of infection to others. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anaesthetic leprosy | A form of leprosy chiefly affecting the nerves, marked by hyperesthesia succeeded by anaesthesia, and by paralysis, ulceration, and various trophic disturbances, terminating in gangrene and mutilation. Synonym: Danielssen's disease, Danielssen-Boeck disease, dry leprosy, trophoneurotic leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| articular leprosy | A late stage of anaesthetic leprosy. Synonym: mutilating leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| borderline leprosy | A form of leprosy that is very unstable immunologically; the cutaneous nerves frequently present bacilli, but the lepromin test is usually negative; cutaneous lesions are comprised of flat bands or plaques. Synonym: dimorphous leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| macular leprosy | A form of tuberculoid leprosy in which the lesions are small, hairless, and dry, and are erythematous in light skin and hypopigmented or copper-coloured in dark skin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Malabar leprosy | <medicine> A disease of the skin, in which it become enormously thickened, and is rough, hard, and fissured, like an elephant's hide. Origin: L, fr. Gr, from, an elephant. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| rat leprosy | A slowly but progressively fatal form of leprosy occurring in rats, caused by Mycobacterium lepraemurium; it appears in two forms, glandular and musculocutaneous; causes induration, alopecia, and eventually ulceration. Synonym: mouse leprosy, murine leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| murine leprosy | A slowly but progressively fatal form of leprosy occurring in rats, caused by Mycobacterium lepraemurium; it appears in two forms, glandular and musculocutaneous; causes induration, alopecia, and eventually ulceration. Synonym: mouse leprosy, murine leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mutilating leprosy | A late stage of anaesthetic leprosy. Synonym: mutilating leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| histoid leprosy | A form of lepromatous leprosy with lesions microscopically resembling dermatofibromas or other spindle-celled tumours. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smooth leprosy | A benign, stable, and resistant form of the disease in which the lepromin reaction is strongly positive and in which the lesions are erythematous, insensitive, infiltrated plaques with clear-cut edges. Synonym: nodular leprosy, smooth leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nodular leprosy | A benign, stable, and resistant form of the disease in which the lepromin reaction is strongly positive and in which the lesions are erythematous, insensitive, infiltrated plaques with clear-cut edges. Synonym: nodular leprosy, smooth leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dimorphous leprosy | A form of leprosy that is very unstable immunologically; the cutaneous nerves frequently present bacilli, but the lepromin test is usually negative; cutaneous lesions are comprised of flat bands or plaques. Synonym: dimorphous leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry leprosy | A form of leprosy chiefly affecting the nerves, marked by hyperesthesia succeeded by anaesthesia, and by paralysis, ulceration, and various trophic disturbances, terminating in gangrene and mutilation. Synonym: Danielssen's disease, Danielssen-Boeck disease, dry leprosy, trophoneurotic leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| indeterminate leprosy | A transitory form of leprosy in which the immunologic status is not yet formed, and the histologic and clinical features are not yet characteristic of any of the major types of leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| trophoneurotic leprosy | A form of leprosy chiefly affecting the nerves, marked by hyperesthesia succeeded by anaesthesia, and by paralysis, ulceration, and various trophic disturbances, terminating in gangrene and mutilation. Synonym: Danielssen's disease, Danielssen-Boeck disease, dry leprosy, trophoneurotic leprosy. (05 Mar 2000) |