02489nas a2200421   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001600058653001700074653003300091653001100124653001800135653001600153653002600169653002600195653002600221653002100247653002200268653002400290653002500314653001700339653001100356653001000367653002300377653001200400653001600412653002500428653002600453653001100479653001800490653002500508100001200533245004500545300001100590490000800601520144400609022001402053       2011                            d  c2011 Feb 1310aCatholicism10aChristianity10aCommunicable Disease Control10aEurope10aGlobal health10aGreek World10aHistory, 19th Century10aHistory, 20th Century10aHistory, 21st Century10aHistory, Ancient10aHistory, Medieval10aHospitals, Military10aHospitals, Religious10aHuman Rights10aHumans10aIndia10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMiddle East10aMycobacterium leprae10aReligion and Medicine10aSaints10aSocial stigma10aTerminology as Topic1 aFalus O00a[Leprosy--a stigma in the 21st century].  a246-510 v1523 a<p>For the initiation of the French journalist Raoul Follereau in 1954 the UNO inaugurated the Leprosy Day (Martyr's Day) that is celebrated on the last Sunday of January every year. Although the bacterium that causes leprosy was isolated by the Norwegian scientist Gerhard Henrik Armauer Hansen in 1873 and from 1982 this disease can be cured with a special pharmaceutical complex, still 219.826 new leprous are detected on Earth every year, according to the data published in August, 2010 by WHO-experts. Ancient Chinese and Hindu source-strings from 600 B. C. are referring to leprosy, however, the disease was imported by the army of Alexander the Great from India around 327-326 B. C. Even the Old and the New Testament from the Holy Bible are mentioning leprosy in several details. During the Middle Ages the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, established in the Holy Land in 72 A. D., did pioneer work in nursing leprous. In the process of time the medical attendance concerning leprous was organized in special hospitals called "leprosoriums" built on river-banks. Special office and even services were organized for the treatment and isolation of the people infected. Although medical science has prevailed against leprosy, and almost simultaneously even jurisprudence defended the patients' rights via legislation, still mankind can regrettably not get rid of this disease that stigmatizes seriously.</p>  a0030-6002