• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.137-143
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• 1998

The measurement of the inter outer canthal distance(IOCD), inter inner canthal distance(IICD), width palpebral fissure (WPF) and distribution of cataract, corneal abnormality and palpebral abnormality-were followed in III Korean in leprosy patient. The average dimension of IOCD was in male 89.9 mm and in female 88.4 mm, IICD were in male 36.9 mm and female 35.8 mm, and LPF was in male 52.9 mm, female 52.6 mm. The IOCD and LPF were decreased but IICD was not 29.7%, palpebral abnormality was 19.4% and corneal abnormality was 37.8%. These data were not changed by sex but increased by age. So the causes of visual impairment int the disease were corneal abnormalities that were the most common complications.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 2007

One-tube nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated for its efficacy in detecting Mycobacterium leprae in biopsy samples from leprosy patients. Primers were derived from the M leprae-specific element (RLEP) sequences which yield a 230 bp fragment. The specificity and the sensitivity of the one-tube nested PCR were compared with those of single PCR for detecting M leprae. The results showed that the one-tube nested PCR was about 100 times more sensitive than that of the single indicating the one-tube nested primer sets developed in this study can be an effective screening tool for the detection of M leprae in clinical diagnostic laboratories.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.209-218
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• 1992

Despite the availability of drugs effective in producing a bacteriological cure, tuberculosis presents continuing problems in its control, especially in the developing world. An effective immunotherapy to be used with chemotherapy is urgently required. Intradermal injection of a suspenison of killed Mycobacterium vaccae switches off the tissue-necrotizing component of the Koch phenomenon, and promotes cell-mediated responses to the common, putative protective, mycobacterial antigens. These properties led to the empolyment of the suspension in immunotherapy as an adjunct to chemotherapy in the treatment of both tuberculosis and leprosy. The evidence leading to these conclusions is reviewed.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

The aim of this work was to validate a rapid and an accurate method for detecting Mycobacterium leprae in clinical specimens using nested PCR targeting M. leprae-specific repetitive element (RLEP) sequence. The primers were derived from the RLEP sequence which yield a 272 bp outer product and a 230 bp inner product. The specificity and the sensitivity of the nested PCR were compared with those of single PCR for detecting M. leprae using DNAs isolated from reference strain and various species of Mycobacterium. The results showed that the sensitivity of the nested PCR was about 100 to 1,000 times higher than that of the single PCR and also showed that both the single and the nested PCR were highly specific to M. leprae. Subsequently, the usefulness of the single and nested PCR was evaluated with clinical samples isolated from leprosy patients. The number of positive detections by the single and the nested PCR with a total of 20 specimens from leprosy patients were 9 (45%) and 20 (100%), respectively. The results clearly showed that nested PCR has highest sensitivity in detecting M. leprae from clinical specimens. Therefore, nested primers targeting RLEP sequence developed in this study seems to be useful to detect the presence of M. leprae.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.313-318
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• 1974

An observation on bacteriological conversion upon 56 bocteriological positives out of 131 cases of lepromatous leprosy treated by antileprosy morbile service was carried out. Those 131 lepromatous cases were a part of 335 total registered from three Guns of Gangjin, Hwa sun, and Goheung, Cheollanamdo, since 1957 to 1973 that has been under the control of antileprosy morbile unit. The results obtained are summalized as follows, 1. Lepromatous type was 36.9% of all cases. The ratio of male to female was 4.9 to 1. Age between 30-44, the most productive ages, occupied 38.0% and age over 60 occupied 18.0% of all. 2. 42.7% of lepromatous type was bacteriological positive. 43.1% was for male and 43.1% was for female. Age between 20 to 24 shown the highest positive at 63.7% and followed by aged over 60 (62.5%) and under 19 (60.0%). The lowest one was seen at age between 40 to 44 at 29.2%. 3. Bacteriological positive rate at registration was different in accordance with duration of treatment received befor registration. It came up to the highest 100.0% at the group treated one year before registration. That of the group not received any treatment was 56.4%, and the group received 4-5 years was the lowest at 26.1% 4. Bacteriological conversion rate was 44.6% and 14.3% of all positive casese regressed in bacterial number. 37.5% of all active cases converted bacteriologically within 5 years. 5. Bacteriological conversion rate in group received 1 year treatment before registattion was 66.6%. That in group not received any treatment was 31.8% and group received 4-5 years was 33.3%. 6. Considering of total duration reaseved treatment together with before and after registration, 33.9% of all active cases resulted bacteriological conversion or regression within 5 years.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.102-104
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• 1983

A total of 2,026 leprosy patients of the National Sorokdo Hospital was examined their infestparasites by cellophane thick smear method in January, 1983. The egg positive cases of Taenia spp. were treated with bithionol and the segments of Taenia were collected for species identification. The results were as follows: 1. Total egg Positive rate of any kind helminth was 78.2% and cumulative total was 85.2%. The egg positive rate for each helminth was as follow; Taenia spp. 3.4%, Ascaris lumbricoides 4.5%, Trichuris trichiura 72.1%, Clonorchis sinensis 2.8% and other 0.05%. 2. A total of 66 Taenia eggpPositive cases was treated; out of them proglottids of Taenia were collected from 26 cases. All of the collected worms were identified as T. saginata. The results revealed signiBicantly high egg positive rate of T. trichiura. However, A. lumbricoides was found to be controlled considerably by repeated chemotherapy during past 3 years. If chromotherapeutic agent is replaced with oxantel-pyrantel tablet, better result is expected. No clue was found for prevalence of T. sodium from both human and the pig in the island.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2011

The seeds of Abrus precatorius L. (Family- Fabaceae) constitute the drugs Abrus, Gunja, or Ratti in commerce. In the Indian System of Medicine, the seeds are used for sciatica, paralysis, headache, dysentery, diarrhoea, leprosy, ulcer, nervous disorders, alopecia, as well as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antitumor, sexual stimulant and abortifacient. Seeds are poisonous and therefore are used after mitigation. The protein abrin is responsible for the highly toxic properties of seeds. Quantitative HPTLC analysis of the methanolic extract of seeds determined the presence of 0.4018% gallic acid and 0.4009% glycyrrhizin. The present study was undertaken to develop an HPTLC method, as well as ascertain the physico-chemical, morphological and histological parameters to establish the authenticity of A. precatorius seeds.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.424-427
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• 2011

The nucleotide-oligomerization domain (NOD) proteins are members of the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family, which are intracellular and cytoplasmic receptors. We analyzed the role of NODs for cytokine production by macrophages infected with intracellular pathogen M. leprae, the causative agent of leprosy. Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ was inhibited in the presence of cytochalasin D, an agent blocking phagocytosis, suggesting that intracellular signaling was, partially, required for macrophage activation to M. leprae infection. Next, we investigated the role of NOD1 and NOD2 proteins on NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and cytokine expression. Treatment with M. leprae significantly increased NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IL-$1{\beta}$ in NOD1- and NOD2-transfected cells. Interestingly, their activation and expression were inhibited by cytochalasin D, suggesting that stimulation of NOD proteins may be associated with the enhancement of cytokine production in host to M. leprae.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.53-60
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• 2011

The objective of this article is to investigate the kinds of fermented Korean medicinals used to cure dermatological diseases in past Korea. The method to do this study was to search the books on the website, Knowledge of Oriental Medicine Web Service, databased and serviced by Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine. Books and related chapters were searched to find fermented medicinals. The results was as follows. According to the website search, eleven kinds of fermented medicinals could be found to cure scabies, leprosy, scrofuloderma, molluscum contagiosum and tinea capitis. The way how to ferment, the purpose of fermenting and regarding historical features could also be found.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of improvement in the balance control ability of the elderly affected by Hansen's disease. We tried to compare the effects for the elderly affected by Hansen's disease with and without foot deformity. The subjects consisted of 19 patients 65 years old and older. They participated in a balance training program twice per week for 8 weeks. The following results were obtained from the training program: 1. There were significant improvements in static balance ability in one leg standing (OLS), dynamic balance ability in tandem walk (TW) and four square step (FSS) (p<.05). 2. There was a significant difference between patients with and without single-foot deformity in TW before the program (p<.05). After training, however, the difference became less significant. Also, there was not much difference between recipients with and without single-foot deformity in terms of OLS and FSS. The results of this study suggest that we need to provide training programs and rehabilitation services for the elderly affected by Hansen's disease suffering from nerve injury and disability. Furthermore, further research efforts should be made concerning rehabilitation to overcome various forms of disability.