Mycobacterium leprae

Social Impacts

Like I have mentioned previously, leprosy has often been plagued as one of the most contagious diseases out there. The colonies of lepers were not only isolated away from the rest of human society, they were ostracized for the disease and looked down upon. Back then, people didn’t know much about the disease and they often made unfair assumptions. One of the biggest problems was the small amount of doctors willing to treat the disease. Most were too scared or worried they would get the disease to work on infected patients. The doctors who would brave the conditions, were often found to have dirty, unsanitary operating tables with makeshift solutions. Amputee patients would be lucky to receive a wooden stump for a leg. Because many leprosy patients were insensitive to pain, that is, they could not feel any pain or other feeling whatsoever in their extremities and other parts of the body, they didn’t complain. Patients with disfigurements could not get surgeons to work on them, and they would continue to suffer with immobility. Many patients who suffered from blindness could have easily prevented it with eye drops, but there was no one to help them.  The other reason people have ostracized these sufferers relates to religion. Many religions and societies believe that such disfigurements are a curse from god. Not only do they discriminate the person with the disease, but also their families.

In reality, it is not a contagious disease. This proves why many doctors do work with these patients and don’t contract it. It can be contagious in the 5% of people who lack the natural immunities, or people with immuno-deficiency disorders. Because we now know more about this disease, more doctors are willing to help these patients, and the amount of people infected continues to decrease. The unfortunate thing is, however, that there is still discrimination. Many countries such as China still have leper colonies. The United States doesn’t allow people with the disease to enter the country. Hawaii was home to a huge leper colony, because the island Molokai was surrounded on 3 sides by the pacific ocean and the other side containing huge cliffs. The colony is not in use anymore, however the area claims that "some patients choose to stay."