Leprosy is a chronic infection of the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, affecting over a quarter million people worldwide. Its symptoms can be gruesome and devastating, as the bacteria reduce sensitivity in the body, resulting in skin lesions, nerve damage and disabilities. Until recently, leprosy was attributed to a single bacterium, Mycobacterium leprae; we now suspect that its close relative, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, might cause a rare but severe form of leprosy. Scientists at École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) have analyzed for the first time the complete genome of M. lepromatosis, and compared it to that of the major leprosy-causing bacterium. Published in PNAS, the study reveals the origin and evolutionary history of both bacteria, and offers new insights into their biology, global distribution, and possibly treatment.
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