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Ali Aamer Habib, MD; Tahseen Mozaffar, MD

Arch Neurol. 2002;59:138-140.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

Leprosy has ailed humankind for centuries, has merited mention in several ancient writings and religious scripts, and has resulted in the banishment of its victims in many civilizations. Despite its long history, many aspects of this disease have remained enigmatic. This article focuses on pioneering discoveries related to the neuropathology of this "Great Disease."¹

NERVE INVOLVEMENT: THE INITIAL WORK

The seminal event in leprosy was the discovery of the bacillus by G. Armaeur Hansen in 1871.² Nerve involvement in leprosy, however, was recognized long before the discovery of the bacillus by the investigations carried out at the St Jorgen Leprosy Hospital in Bergen, Norway, by Danielssen (Hansen's mentor and father-in-law) and his colleagues in the mid 19th century.³ Virchow⁴(p72) subsequently confirmed this link in 1882. In their classic monograph in 1895, Hansen and Looft⁴ commented on the almost invariable neuropathologic involvement in leprosy. Recognizing the initial contributions . . . [Full Text of this Article]

NERVE PATHOLOGY DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY

NERVE PATHOLOGY IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY: THE INDIAN CONTRIBUTION

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

From the Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan (Dr Habib); and Departments of Neurology and Pathology, University of California at Irvine (Dr Mozaffar).