Thread: Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas

Springdale
Mary Marsh Reports
Leprosy outbreak causes concerns in Northwest Arkansas

Posted: Feb 7, 2008 09:21 PM MST




Dr. Jennifer Bingham



Mayoral candidate Nancy Jenkins







SPRINGDALE - The medical community is warning the public: a leprosy outbreak in Springdale could blossom into an epidemic, if something isn't done soon.

Doctors say at least nine cases of leprosy have been confirmed in Springdale. Local doctors say they would be shocked by even one case of leprosy in their entire career, so they say something must be done soon, in order to stop leprosy's spread.

Springdale MD Jennifer Bingham says, "my initial response was: I am shocked. I am shocked we are seeing this. It's a true reason to be very worried."

Medical specialists say the Marshall Islands have the most cases of leprosy, in the world. And the city with the largest number of Marshallese people, outside the Marshall islands, is Springdale. And Bingham says, it makes sense, then, that leprosy is spreading to the city. "It's from the Marshall islands; that's why we're seeing it."

Bingham says she is all for Marshallese people entering the United States, after proper medical tests. But whether they're immigrants or not, she says people must stick to treatment, when infected. And she says, when she treats those from the Marshall Islands, this doesn't happen. "We're not getting the compliance that is absolutely essential to take care of this process."

Bingham says without cooperation, leprosy, which has no vaccine, and is transmitted through the air, will spread, and could easily become an epidemic. "People absolutely should be concerned. What I'm afraid of, is when people start thinking about it enough, it will already be out of control."

So now, Bingham, and others like Mayoral candidate Nancy Jenkins, say government help is the next step. Jenkins says she's angered the federal government has been so lax with border patrol. She says, "We've just opened the borders and said, 'Come on in! Bring your diseases! Bring 'em!' Why are we doing that? Those who have it need to be quarantined and treated, or sent back to their country."

Dr. Bingham is requesting the public take action, and write everyone from legislators, and presidential candidates, to Congress, and the Health Department. Shey says, "the only way to truly protect our community and our economic growth, is to think of this as a very important, panic-mode attempt to treat leprosy: before it gets out of hand."

Doctors say leprosy will appear as a discoloration, or nodules, on the skin, especially the fingers, toes, arms, and face. With treatment, it is curable, but it can take from six months, to two years, to completely disappear.

Springdale is also reporting over 100 cases of tuberculosis.
http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=7841296

send this to Lou Dobbs

These people should not of been aloud in. If they are illegal, this makes it even worse!

I just read this. Some of the doctors said to see even ONE case would be shocking to them, let alone FIVE.

Medical specialists say the Marshall Islands have the most cases of leprosy, in the world. And the city with the largest number of Marshallese people, outside the Marshall islands, is Springdale. And Bingham says, it makes sense, then, that leprosy is spreading to the city. "It's from the Marshall islands; that's why we're seeing it."

Leprosy Today


Today, the diagnosis and treatment of leprosy is easy and most endemic countries are striving to fully integrate leprosy services into existing general health services.
This is especially important for those under-served and marginalised communities most at risk from leprosy, often the poorest of the poor.


Access to information, diagnosis and treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT) remain key elements in the strategy to eliminate the disease as a public health problem, defined as reaching a prevalence of less than 1 leprosy case per 10,000 population. MDT treatment has been made available by WHO free of charge to all patients worldwide since 1995, and provides a simple yet highly effective cure for all types of leprosy.

According to official reports received from 109 countries and territories, the global registered prevalence of leprosy at the beginning of 2007 stood at 224,717 cases, while the number of new cases detected during 2006 was 259,017 (excluding the small number of cases in Europe). The number of new cases detected globally has fallen by more than 40,019 cases (a 13.4% decrease) during 2006 compared with 2005. During the past five years, the global number of new cases detected has continued to decrease dramatically, at an average rate of nearly 20% per year.

Most previously highly endemic countries have now reached elimination, and those few that remain are very close to eliminating the disease. However, pockets of high endemicity still remain in some areas of Angola, Brazil, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and the United Republic of Tanzania. These countries remain highly committed to eliminating the disease, and continue to intensify their leprosy control activities.

Information campaigns about leprosy in high risk areas are crucial so that patients and their families, who were historically ostracized from their communities, are encouraged to come forward and receive treatment. The most effective way of preventing disabilities in leprosy, as well as preventing further transmission of the disease, lies in early diagnosis and treatment with MDT.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factshee ... index.html

Oh, gawd!!!!

Way to close to me for my comfort...

jimpasz wrote:

• send this to Lou Dobbs

I did!

I also sent to Lou!!