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6 new genes linked to leprosy found by Singaporean scientists

Xinhua, March 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Six new genes that influence people's risk of developing leprosy has been found by scientists from Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and China's Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, said a news release by GIS on Monday.

Based on a study of over 8,300 Chinese patients and reported in the scientific journal "Nature Genetics", the finding brings the total number of known genes linked to leprosy to 16.

Human genes come in pairs, so a person can theoretically carry 32 detrimental genes related to leprosy, an infectious disease that causes severe, disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms and legs.

The scientists from GIS found that if a person carries one of the genes, his risk of developing leprosy increases by 20 to 50 percent. People who have 20 or more of the genes face eight times more risk of contracting leprosy when compared to those carrying 12 or less of them.

The scientists believe the discovery could help doctors predict a person's risk of developing the disease, and also assist public healthcare policymakers in drafting better preventative measures for high-risk medical staff who work in close contact with leprosy patients.

The study could also be used to develop a genetic test to screen for people to prevent the disease spread through early detection. People who are infected with leprosy may not be aware of their condition as symptoms usually appear only five to 20 years after the infection.

"With the discovery of more gene variants that affect the risk of developing leprosy, we can develop better diagnostic, treatment and preventive strategies to one day eradicate leprosy permanently, " said Prof. Liu Jianjun, GIS's deputy director for research programs. He was also senior author of the GIS study.

Although commonly viewed as a medieval affliction, leprosy remains a major health problem in developing countries, claiming over 200,000 new patients worldwide annually, with two to three million people permanently disabled. Endi