Peripheral nerves and nerve function in highland Ethiopians.

Introduction: In Ethiopia, where leprosy has been one of the commonest causes of peripheral nerve enlargement and dysfunction, nerve functions are assessed by a battery of "physical" tests. Voluntary Muscle Test (VMT) and Graded Sensory Skin Test (STG) are standard tests used for persons with leprosy. Normal values for nerve function tests (NFT) in Highland Ethiopians have not previously been determined, but have been taken from standard textbooks.

Thermal threshold tester, a useful tool for detection of very early nerve damage--determination of normal values in a healthy population unexposed to Mycobacterium leprae and its application in the A9 study.

Introduction: In Ethiopia, a large percentage of leprosy patients present with established nerve damage. Present techniques for measuring nerve function impairment show no abnormality until 30% of nerve axons are destroyed. Nerve damage in leprosy occurs first in small diameter unmyelinated fibres, then in small myelinated fibres, and much later in large myelinated fibres.

Growth and development of children of mothers with leprosy and healthy controls.

Introduction: In the pre-sulphone and early sulphone years children of leprous parents had been followed in a few prospective studies to observe the development of leprosy. No studies were made of the growth and development of these children.

Methods: A prospective, open-ended, cohort study began in 1975 with follow-up of both mothers and their children until 2003.