From isolation to prosperity: Rediscovering the Carville Leprosarium

Publication date: Available online 1 December 2017
Source:Clinics in Dermatology
Author(s): Natalie J. Atkin
The stigma associated with leprosy, sometimes referred to as Hansen's Disease, has historically been linked with fear and discrimination, often leading to persecution and isolation in the form of quarantine. Consequently, harsh methods of "treatment" were often employed due to a global lack of knowledge regarding leprosy and its vector of transmission. In fact, leprosy was initially thought to be an inherited disorder, or even a punishment from G-d^2; however, within the last century, research on the malady has grown vastly, having been aided by the discovery of Mycobacterium leprae as the disease causing acid-fast bacillus in 1873.³ Throughout this time, several leprostatic agents, including sulfonamide-derived chemotherapeutic drugs, have also been introduced. Today, leprosy is a better-understood disease whose damage to the peripheral nervous system can be limited or reduced with the use of such drugs. The most optimal outcomes are observed in patients who are diagnosed early and treated with multidrug therapy (MDT) to counteract the possibility of drug resistance associated with monotherapy. Many significant contributions to today's understanding of leprosy are attributed to the diligence and dedication of researchers and clinicians at the National Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana – an often forgotten and understated pioneer facility in the progress of dermatologic medicine.