Where did leprosy originate?
india might have the maximum number of leprosy-affected people in the world but a new study rejects the prevalent theory that the disease originated in India and spread to Europe through Alexander's troops. Researchers from the Institut Pasteur, Paris, France theorise that East Africa is the more likely place of origin of leprosy.
The scientists studied the genetic material from 175 samples of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, from 21 countries (Science, May 13, Vol 308, No 5724). They found the genetic material of the bacterium was remarkably similiar and stable. But tiny parts of the genetic material varied. On the basis of differences in three such regions, the researchers found the samples could be divided into four major groups. Type 1 was found in 67 samples, type 2 in 14 samples, type 3 in 38 samples and type 4 in 56 samples.
Further, these groups could be correlated with specific regions of origin
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