Abandoned Bones Suggest TB Wiped Out Leprosy In Battle Of Killer Diseases

ScienceDaily ^ | February 19, 2005 | University College London

[SunkenCiv]

The spread of tuberculosis may have killed off leprosy in Europe in the Middle Ages, according to research published in the latest issue of the Royal Society Proceedings B. A collaborative study led by University College London (UCL) scientists, following the discovery of a shrouded body in a sealed chamber overlooked by tomb robbers, found evidence of both diseases in a range of archaeological remains dating from the 1st to the 15th centuries. An initial examination of the body, currently under analysis in Israel, revealed signs of co-infection of TB and leprosy in the bone tissue. The collaborative team, led by Dr Helen Donoghue and Dr Mark Spigelman from UCL's Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, went on to identify co-infection in ancient bones around Europe, where the DNA of the bacteria behind both diseases was detected in 42 per cent of the samples examined.

In the Middle Ages leprosy was a widespread, much-feared disease which unaccountably declined around the same time that tuberculosis began to spread across Europe. TB went on to become a major long-term epidemic disease, with one-third of the world's population now infected and more than 8 million new cases in the year 2000 alone.

[SunkenCiv]

• Once-Dreaded Leprosy 'Replaced' By Tuberculosis, Say Researchers (August 18, 2005)

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	This story is from 2005, and frankly I'm a bit surprised that it hadn't been posted, but I couldn't find it. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2408475/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2409268/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2409440/posts
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091216103558.htm

[SunkenCiv]

Bones Raise Leprosy Doubts (Scotland)
BBC | 11-05-2002
Posted on 11/06/2002 6:58:11 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/784074/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Leprosy keyword, chrono sort:

• Bones Raise Leprosy Doubts (Scotland)
• In God's Wonderful Image: Remembering Dr. Paul Brand
• The U.S./Mexican Border Hash Become a Sieve of Death
• Leprosy originated in Africa or Near East -- study (ARMADILLOS HELP STUDY)
• Are illegals making U.S. a leper colony? (Leprosy in America)
• Higher disease rates attributed to influx of illegals
• Hayworth: Americans should know TB, leprosy, polio, have been linked to illegal immigrants
• Report: Drug Traces Found in Milosevic
• 'Leprosy drug in Milosevic's blood'
• Lepers protest Gujarat (India) decision to stop Catholic sisters from running hospital
• Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (The Leper King)
• Bld. Damien Joseph de Veuster of Molokai
• Catholic, Crusader, Leper and King: The Life of Baldwin IV and the Triumph of the Cross
• America's new Alamo -- we must not lose again
• Worrisome New Link: AIDS Drugs and Leprosy
• Immigration Department Failed To Check On Immigrants With TB, Report Says
• Leprosy Down But Not Out In China: State Media
• (December 2007) Marshallese in Arkansas unhealthy, ineligible for health care programs
• Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas
• Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas (illegal immigrant connection)
• AR Dept of Health debunks leprosy fears (Arkansas Leprosy Coverup)
• OUTBREAK: Leprosy in Arkansas -- Brought Here by Whom?
• Obama's Pastor Otis Moss III: Being black is like leprosy
• Mexican With Tuberculosis Allowed Into Texas 20 Times in 2007
• Researchers identify new leprosy bacterium
• Oldest Evidence Of Leprosy Found In India
• Armadillo-like Crocodile Fossil Found in Brazil
• Leprosy patients from Hawaii to see canonization of Fr. Damien
• Burial Cloth Found In Jerusalem Cave Casts Doubt On Authenticity of Turin Shroud [Really?]
• 'Jesus-era' burial shroud found
• Jesus-era leper sheds light on Turin shroud mystery
• Abandoned Bones Suggest TB Wiped Out Leprosy In Battle Of Killer Diseases

[hellbender]

Some hominids were able to survive both diseases.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[neverdem]

micro ping

Co–infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae in human archaeological samples: a possible explanation for the historical decline of leprosy

Full Text (PDF)Free

[editor-surveyor]

Are we to assume that ‘Leprosy’ means Hanson’s?

The Leprosy described in ancient writings doesn’t seem to match up with Present Leprosy.

[Peanut Gallery]

“TB wiped out Leprosy...”

Paper covers Rock, Rock breaks scissors, and scissors cut paper. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

[CholeraJoe]

Are we to assume that ‘Leprosy’ means Hanson’s?

They mention Mycobacterium leprae which is the causative organism for Hansen's. I'm not sure I agree that leprosy described in ancient writings is not what we see today. If you read Leviticus 13, it gives the Temple priest instructions on how to distinguish clean from unclean skin lesions:

13:3 "And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh; and when the hair in the plague has turned white and the plague in appearance be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy; and the priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean."

Sure sounds like tuberculoid leprosy to me: