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Updated, 17:40
THE HSE HAS confirmed Ireland’s first known case of leprosy for several decades.
The agency has confirmed that a case was reported to its Health Protection Surveillance Centre by the HSE’s Dublin North East division earlier this year.
The victim is a man who is believed to have contracted the disease outside of Ireland. It is thought he had suffered from the condition in the past and that the latest episode was a recurrence of this.
IrishHealth.com, reporting on the development, said it understood the victim to be a native of South America aged in his 30s.
The HSE said the man had been treated in hospital in Dublin, and that there was no cause for public concern, as the condition is not highly contagious.
The bacterium that causes the condition multiplies so slowly that the first symptoms can often only appear around five years – and sometimes up to 20 years – after a person first comes into contact with it.
The disease is transmitted by small droplets from the mouth and nose “during close and frequent contacts with untreated cases”, the HSE said – adding that it can be cured, and early treatment can prevent disability or any other long-term health concerns.
While the condition is relatively common in the developing world, new cases are exceptionally rare in this part of the world – and it is not known when the last case was formally recorded in Ireland.
HSE data suggests no cases were officially reported between 1981 and 2012.
Contrary to popular conception, the disease does not result in the loss of body parts, and mainly affects the skin and outer nerves. However, in secondary cases, fingers and toes can shorten and eventually reform.
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Where’s Jesus when you need him eh?!
Is he on a club 18/30 holiday in Majorca?
Ah lads its Podge and rodges long lost cousin he’s alright let him be.
The right hand of God , silly Billy
He’s busy on the abortion thing
In Australia, apparently. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Truth
Money for an ex leper?
Playing poker in a leper school. Just threw his hand in.
did you say an ex leper?
On tour in Oz at mo! Plays the Opera House tomorrow night or is it in the morning?
Leprosy,
Bits and pieces falling off of me,
I’m not half the man I used to be,
Oh I believe in leprosy.
What did the Leper say to the pr0st1tute?
Keep the tip ;)
I had a dose of leprosy there after the long weekend but you didn’t see me crying to the media about it.
Did ye hear about the leper who failed his driving test? He left his foot on the clutch!
Ha ha priceless. I just failed the test yesterday cos apparently i overused the clutch.
@paul tayto, that’s my joke posted earlier word for word!!! Why did the journal delete my post???
Ah it’s the way you tell em larry.
My post too!!!
This is nonsense. There have been several cases of leprosy ( called Hansen’s disease by most medics) treated by hospitals around Ireland in recent years. They just don’t report it because it would end up on gossip sites and as its always diagnosed in people entering the country and it’s almost non- infectious in our climate. Leprosy was however present in Ireland until the mid 19th century.
There were 3 leper hospitals in Dublin during the middle ages, St James’s the Steyne which was on the Quays, ironically where Hawkins house, the dept of Health headquarters is now and St Stephen’s from which and it’s associated church from which the green gets its name. The third was in south county Dublin at Whites cross. The name Leopardstown has nothing to do with spotty cats!
Am I right or wrong for saying Galloping Green is so called because they used to try race through there as fast as they could on their horses because of the fear of catching something off the lepers?
Such cynicism from posters! Can ye not take these things a bit more seriously?
Now, will somebody ask the poor unfortunate whether he/she would like prayers or medicine for this?
The way this country is gone it’s prayers FOR medicine.
@ Robin: given the choice one would imagine medicine to be a safer bet?
You would have thought so, but all the people that sent prayers to Oklahoma must be ragin cos all god did was send more twisters!
Feel bad but the jokes are funny I’m laughing my head off … No pun intended :)
Spare a sheckle for an ex-leper!
Beat me too it.
Jaysus the poor man must be in bits.
Help him Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise
Never mind leprosy, what about the untreatable TB that’s doing the rounds.
Ahh the old multiculturalism
is great all the same….
Wait hang on a second… So first signs can be between 5-20 years ? So you wait 5 years or another 15 years to get the “early treatment”? Surely by then your fecked ? Am Im lost or just read wrong?
Your lost love
I thought the same!
22 comments all cracking jokes about someone’s ill health. . Fair play folks. Nice bunch
Hope he doesn’t laugh his head off.
Leper in the bath? Porridge. I’ll get my coat…
Did he come back and say thanks though?
A friend of mine was told by his doctor he had leprosy, he fell to pieces.
Does Leopardstown hospital still deal this, its is because of a leper hospital that the area got its name.
It does as far as I know. Leopardstown hospital will never change it’s spots.
NOT SURPRISED WITH ALL THESE FORIEGN NATIONALS HERE ITS NOTHING TO WHATS ON THE WAY WATCH FOR AN EXPLOSION MAINLY FROM AFRICA
Nice xenophobia there. You must be a lovely person.
Its no harm I have it for years on my big toe
Had to throw my leg over the wall, couldn’t get over it.
Johnny the lepper lynch could do a great 8 hand reel !
i Hope he dosent do the hokey cokey.
have your say