Leprosy

Published: Jan. 4, 2022, 3 a.m.

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Leprosy, also known as Hansen\'s disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It\\u2019s a condition that can have a devastating effect on those who catch it, affecting the skin, the eyes, the peripheral nerves and the respiratory tract in people of all ages. 


It\\u2019s also a disease with a lot of stigma and myths attached to it, many of them dating back to the Middle Ages. The image of the medieval leper as an outcast from society is a familiar one\\u2014but is it accurate? To find out more Cat chats with Dr Simon Roffey, a Reader in Medieval Archaeology at the University of Winchester.


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