 Types: Tuberculoid and lepromatous (more severe)  Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae  Not very contagious  Has a long incubation period  Children are more likely to be infected

 Originally found in armadillos  How it is transferred is still being studied  Most likely transferred via respiratory route

 Most easily spread in children  Long incubation periods (3-30 years)  Hard to tell when someone is infected

SSouth/Southeast Asia LLatin America TTropic and subtropic environments 770% of new cases are found in India

Causes…  Skin Sores  Nerve Damage  Disfigurement  Muscle weakness that progressively worsens

 On average, between 500,000 and 750,000 new cases are found each year  15 million people have been treated in the last 20 years

 More than 6 antibiotics are used to treat the disease  Early treatment prevents spread of the disease, limits damage, and allows a more normal lifestyle  Treatment cannot reverse any damage from the disease, but can sustain further damage