THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE - RECENT INSIGHT

Leprosy is still a health problem in many countries. Because the causa tive organism, Mycobacterium leprae cannot be cultured in vitro, it is virtually impossible to assess exposure, and the onset of infection a nd disease. As a consequence, the chain of infection, considered as th e relationships between M. leprae, transmission and human host, is poo rly understood. Here, we discuss a number of organism-, host- and envi ronmental-related factors which may be incriminated in the dynamic pro cess of the development of leprosy disease. The use of modem molecular and immunological tools has become a valuable addition to epidemiolog ical research. Understanding of the epidemiology of leprosy is a prere quisite for effective control of the disease.