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Aretaeus of Cappadocia on Leprosy's Transmission

Aretaeus of Cappadocia on Leprosy's Transmission Leprosy has been the scourge of humanity since antiquity. In 1874, the Norwegian microbiologist Gerhard Armauer Hansen isolated Mycobacterium leprae, showing that it was a transmissible infection and not an inherited one, as it was believed for centuries. It should be noted that in the first century AD, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a Greek-born physician who studied medicine in Alexandria and practiced in Rome, provided not only the earliest and best description of leprosy (leonine appearance, lepromas) but also assumed that transmission occurs primarily through the respiratory root.1,2 In his book, he distinguishes the notions of contagion and infection and states that “One can be infected by the breath of an infected person and transmit leprosy in his turn to others.”2 Back to top Article Information Contact Dr Karamanou at Department of Medical History, Medical School, University of Athens, 4 str Themidos, 14564, Kifissia, Athens, Greece (mariannakaramanou@yahoo.com). References 1. Karamanou M. L’histoire de la lèpre en Grèce de l’antiquité jusqu’à nos jours [master's thesis]. Lyon, France: Université Claude Bernard–Lyon 1; 2011 2. Arétée de Cappadoce. Traité des Signes, des Causes et de la Cure des Maladies Aiguës et Chroniques: Traduction, Supplément et Notes par L. Renaud. Paris, France: Lagny; 1834:416-422, 204-216 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JAMA Dermatology American Medical Association

Aretaeus of Cappadocia on Leprosy's Transmission

Aretaeus of Cappadocia on Leprosy's Transmission

Abstract

Leprosy has been the scourge of humanity since antiquity. In 1874, the Norwegian microbiologist Gerhard Armauer Hansen isolated Mycobacterium leprae, showing that it was a transmissible infection and not an inherited one, as it was believed for centuries. It should be noted that in the first century AD, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a Greek-born physician who studied medicine in Alexandria and practiced in Rome, provided not only the earliest and best description of leprosy (leonine appearance,...
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References (2)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
2168-6068
eISSN
2168-6084
DOI
10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.2352
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Leprosy has been the scourge of humanity since antiquity. In 1874, the Norwegian microbiologist Gerhard Armauer Hansen isolated Mycobacterium leprae, showing that it was a transmissible infection and not an inherited one, as it was believed for centuries. It should be noted that in the first century AD, Aretaeus of Cappadocia, a Greek-born physician who studied medicine in Alexandria and practiced in Rome, provided not only the earliest and best description of leprosy (leonine appearance, lepromas) but also assumed that transmission occurs primarily through the respiratory root.1,2 In his book, he distinguishes the notions of contagion and infection and states that “One can be infected by the breath of an infected person and transmit leprosy in his turn to others.”2 Back to top Article Information Contact Dr Karamanou at Department of Medical History, Medical School, University of Athens, 4 str Themidos, 14564, Kifissia, Athens, Greece (mariannakaramanou@yahoo.com). References 1. Karamanou M. L’histoire de la lèpre en Grèce de l’antiquité jusqu’à nos jours [master's thesis]. Lyon, France: Université Claude Bernard–Lyon 1; 2011 2. Arétée de Cappadoce. Traité des Signes, des Causes et de la Cure des Maladies Aiguës et Chroniques: Traduction, Supplément et Notes par L. Renaud. Paris, France: Lagny; 1834:416-422, 204-216

Journal

JAMA DermatologyAmerican Medical Association

Published: Mar 1, 2013

Keywords: leprosy,mycobacterium leprae,rome,infections

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