Of the writing
La Jornada newspaper
Monday, January 27, 2025, p. 12
In Mexico there are about 200 annual cases of Lepra and in the world there are about 174 thousand. It is an ancient disease that has not disappeared, but now, people can lead a normal life in their homes, said the academic of the UNAM School of Medicine, Roberto Arenas Guzmán.
On World Lepra Day, which is commemorated on the last Sunday of January, the researcher explained that this disease can cause disability, it is an infectious contagious (it can be acquired by contact) if there is genetic predisposition to the condition, which who transmits it has with an active variant, and that both have intimate contact.
In a statement, the highest house of studies reported that this condition is caused by bacteria Mycobacterium leprae And mainly damages skin and peripheral nerves, that is, sensitivity, which is essential to determine their presence in patients, as they lose the sense of touch. Due to its nature, the incubation period is usually long.
He pointed out that it is a perfectly treatable disease with an early diagnosis.
The states with the highest incidence are Sinaloa, Guanajuato, Guerrero and Nayarit. Meanwhile, the expert acknowledged that although his presence in tropical regions has been described, he is actually a condition related to poverty.
