#Gangadhar Sunkara

[indizombie]

Unfortunately, diagnosing leprosy is extremely difficult. At the moment, the standard method is to take a biopsy. With this technique, a tiny incision is made on a skin lesion, through which blood is squeezed out and tissue fluid and pulp are collected for testing under the microscope. But this method is laborious and expensive, requiring a laboratory and technical expertise. This is particularly challenging in rural areas, where laboratory facilities are not always available, as well as in low-income countries where leprosy is prevalent and resources are scarce. "As a result, many patients are diagnosed late in the course of the disease when nerve and skin damage has already occurred," says Sunkara.

Kamala Thiagarajan, ‘Leprosy: the ancient disease scientists can't solve’, BBC