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72-519: Macha ( Irish pronunciation: [ˈmˠaxə] ) was a sovereignty goddess of ancient Ireland associated with the province of Ulster , particularly the sites of Navan Fort ( Eamhain Mhacha ) and Armagh ( Ard Mhacha ), which are named after her. Several figures called Macha appear in Irish mythology and folklore, all believed to derive from the same goddess. She is said to be one of three sisters known as '

144-450: A better effect on ulcer healing than clioquinol cream or zinc paste, but the evidence for this is weak. Phenytoin applied to the skin improves skin changes to a greater degree when compared to saline dressings. Although leprosy has been curable since the mid-20th century, left untreated it can cause permanent physical impairments and damage to a person's nerves, skin, eyes, and limbs. Despite leprosy not being very infectious and having

216-618: A commentary on all medical and surgical knowledge and descriptions and remedies to do with leprosy from the Romans, Greeks, and Arabs. Leprosy did not exist in the Americas before colonization by modern Europeans nor did it exist in Polynesia until the middle of the 19th century. The causative agent of leprosy, M. leprae , was discovered by Gerhard Armauer Hansen in Norway in 1873, making it one of

288-799: A different path for the spread of leprosy, meaning it may have originated in Western Eurasia. This study also indicates that there were more strains in Europe at the time than previously determined. Literary attestation of leprosy is unclear because of the ambiguity of many early sources, including the Indian Atharvaveda and Kausika Sutra, the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus , and the Hebrew Bible 's various sections regarding signs of impurity ( tzaraath ). Clearly leprotic symptoms are attested in

360-513: A further fourteen years on her own, until she was killed by Rechtaid Rígderg . The Lebor Gabála synchronises her reign to that of Ptolemy I Soter (323–283 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates her reign to 468–461 BC, the Annals of the Four Masters to 661–654 BC. Marie-Louise Sjoestedt writes of this figure: "In the person of this second Macha we discover a new aspect of

432-432: A hideously ugly woman offers the young men water in return for a kiss. Only Niall kisses her with conviction, and moreover has sex with her, whereupon the woman becomes beautiful and utters the verse King of Tara , I am the sovereignty [Old Irish: in flaithes ]; I will tell you its great benefit. [It will belong] to your descendants forever, above every kindred; that is the true reason for which I speak. The story

504-495: A low pathogenicity, there is still significant stigma and prejudice associated with the disease. Because of this stigma, leprosy can affect a person's participation in social activities and may also affect the lives of their family and friends. People with leprosy are also at a higher risk for problems with their mental well-being. The social stigma may contribute to problems obtaining employment, financial difficulties, and social isolation. Efforts to reduce discrimination and reduce

576-423: A role in susceptibility to an infection. Cases of leprosy often cluster in families and several genetic variants have been identified. In many people who are exposed, the immune system is able to eliminate the leprosy bacteria during the early infection stage before severe symptoms develop. A genetic defect in cell-mediated immunity may cause a person to be susceptible to develop leprosy symptoms after exposure to

648-437: Is 24 months because of their lower bactericidal activity. Evidence on the potential benefits and harms of alternative regimens for drug-resistant leprosy is not available. For people with nerve damage, protective footwear may help prevent ulcers and secondary infection. Canvas shoes may be better than PVC boots. There may be no difference between double rocker shoes and below-knee plaster. Topical ketanserin seems to have

720-576: Is a long-term infection by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis . Infection can lead to damage of the nerves , respiratory tract , skin, and eyes. This nerve damage may result in a lack of ability to feel pain, which can lead to the loss of parts of a person's extremities from repeated injuries or infection through unnoticed wounds. An infected person may also experience muscle weakness and poor eyesight. Leprosy symptoms may begin within one year, but, for some people, symptoms may take 20 years or more to occur. Leprosy

792-630: Is a single dose of rifampicin (SDR) in adults and children over 2 years old who do not already have leprosy or tuberculosis. Preventive treatment is associated with a 57% reduction in infections within 2 years and a 30% reduction in infections within 6 years. The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine offers a variable amount of protection against leprosy in addition to its closely related target of tuberculosis . It appears to be 26% to 41% effective (based on controlled trials) and about 60% effective based on observational studies with two doses possibly working better than one. The WHO concluded in 2018 that

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864-494: Is also clear that medieval Irish rituals inaugurating a new king sometimes took the form of a banais ríghe ('wedding-feast of kingship'), because the king was imagined symbolically to be marrying his dominion, and that similar rituals known by the term feis might involve both sexual activity, and horses (in turn evoking the idea, prominent in modern scholarship, of Celtic horse-goddesses ). Most luridly, Giraldus Cambrensis , in his 1188 Topographia Hibernica , claimed that at

936-436: Is at high risk of developing or transmitting leprosy such as those with few lesions or an atypical clinical presentation. New approaches propose tools to diagnose leprosy through Artificial Intelligence. Several different approaches for classifying leprosy exist. There are similarities between the classification approaches. Leprosy may also occur with only neural involvement, without skin lesions. Leprosy may cause

1008-411: Is confirmed by finding acid-fast bacilli in a biopsy of the skin. Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy. Treatment of paucibacillary leprosy is with the medications dapsone , rifampicin , and clofazimine for six months. Treatment for multibacillary leprosy uses the same medications for 12 months. A number of other antibiotics may also be used. These treatments are provided free of charge by

1080-471: Is delayed by several months. Damage to nerves may cause loss of muscle function, leading to paralysis. It may also lead to sensation abnormalities or numbness , which may lead to additional infections, ulcerations, and joint deformities. M. leprae and M. lepromatosis are the mycobacteria that cause leprosy. M. lepromatosis is a relatively newly identified mycobacterium isolated from a fatal case of diffuse lepromatous leprosy in 2008. M. lepromatosis

1152-462: Is heavily pregnant, Macha is brought to the gathering and the king forces her to race the horses. She wins the race, but then cries out in pain as she gives birth to twins on the finish line; a boy named Fír ("True") and a girl named Fial ("Modest"). For disrespecting and humiliating her, she curses the men of Ulster to be overcome with weakness—as weak "as a woman in childbirth"—at the time of their greatest need. This weakness would last for five days and

1224-492: Is indistinguishable clinically from M. leprae . M. leprae is an aerobic , rod-shaped, acid-fast bacterium with a waxy cell envelope characteristic of the genus Mycobacterium . M. leprae and M. lepromatosis are obligate intracellular pathogens , and cannot grow or be cultured outside of host tissues. However, they can be grown using research animals such as mice and armadillos . Naturally occurring infection has been reported in nonhuman primates (including

1296-464: Is known as leprology. Common symptoms present in the different types of leprosy include a runny nose; dry scalp ; eye problems; skin lesions ; muscle weakness; reddish skin; smooth, shiny, diffuse thickening of facial skin, ear, and hand; loss of sensation in fingers and toes; thickening of peripheral nerves ; a flat nose from destruction of nasal cartilages ; and changes in phonation and other aspects of speech production. In addition, atrophy of

1368-539: Is named as the wife of Nemed, son of Agnoman, or alternately as the wife of Crund, son of Agnoman, which may indicate an identity of Nemed with Crund. Macha is also named as the daughter of Midir and Aed the Red. Sovereignty goddess There is some evidence in Greek and Roman accounts of historical Celtic women that leading women such as Camma and Cartimandua might in antiquity actually have been associated with goddesses. It

1440-413: Is not sexually transmitted and is not spread through pregnancy to the unborn child. The majority (95%) of people who are exposed to M. leprae do not develop leprosy; casual contact such as shaking hands and sitting next to someone with leprosy does not lead to transmission. People are considered non-infectious 72 hours after starting appropriate multi-drug therapy. Two exit routes of M. leprae from

1512-465: Is often mentioned together with her sisters, " Badb and Morrigu , whose name was Anand ". The three (with varying names) are often considered a triple goddess associated with war. O'Mulconry's Glossary , a thirteenth-century compilation of glosses from medieval manuscripts preserved in the Yellow Book of Lecan , describes Macha as "one of the three morrígna " (the plural of Morrígan ), and says

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1584-413: Is safe and easy to use under field conditions because of it is available in calendar labelled blister packs. Post-treatment relapse rates remain low. Resistance has been reported in several countries, although the number of cases is small. People with rifampicin-resistant leprosy may be treated with second line drugs such as fluoroquinolones , minocycline , or clarithromycin , but the treatment duration

1656-465: Is said that the hilltop where she was buried was named after her: Ard Mhacha , "Macha's high place". The surrounding woodland was cleared by Nemed's folk and named Magh Mhacha , "Macha's plain". She is described as the daughter of red-weaponed Aed, as the raven of the raids and diffuser of all excellences. Macha, daughter of Ernmas , of the Tuatha Dé Danann , appears in many early sources. She

1728-448: Is spread between people, although extensive contact is necessary. Leprosy has a low pathogenicity and 95% of people who contract or who are exposed to M. leprae do not develop the disease. Spread is thought to occur through a cough or contact with fluid from the nose of a person infected by leprosy. Genetic factors and immune function play a role in how easily a person catches the disease. Leprosy does not spread during pregnancy to

1800-652: Is transparently a pseudo-history composed in support of the claim of the Uí Néill dynasty to dominance in Ireland. The fairly strong evidence for a tradition of sovereignty goddesses in early Ireland has led to a fashion in Celtic scholarship for interpreting other female characters as euhemerised sovereignty goddesses, or for arguing that the portrayals of women have been influenced by traditions of sovereignty goddesses. This way of reading medieval Celtic female characters goes back to

1872-540: The World Health Organization . Leprosy is not highly contagious. People with leprosy can live with their families and go to school and work. In the 1980s, there were 5.2 million cases globally, but by 2020 this decreased to fewer than 200,000. Most new cases occur in 14 countries, with India accounting for more than half. In the 20 years from 1994 to 2014, 16 million people worldwide were cured of leprosy. About 200 cases per year are reported in

1944-689: The 1920s, and is related to the myth and ritual school of scholarship. For example, the protagonist of the Welsh Canu Heledd is sometimes read in this way, and figures as diverse as Guenevere ; the Cailleach Bhéirre ; Medb ; Rhiannon ; warrior women such as the Morrígan , Macha and Badb ; and the loathly lady of Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale have been viewed in the same light. Britta Irslinger has argued that female characters in early Irish literature whose names relate to ruling or

2016-459: The African chimpanzee , the sooty mangabey , and the cynomolgus macaque), armadillos, and red squirrels . Multilocus sequence typing of the armadillo M. leprae strains suggests that they were of human origin for at most a few hundred years. Thus, it is suspected that armadillos first acquired the organism incidentally from early European explorers of the Americas. This incidental transmission

2088-646: The African origin of the disease". A proven human case was verified by DNA taken from the shrouded remains of a man discovered by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in a tomb in Akeldama , next to the Old City of Jerusalem , Israel , dated by radiocarbon methods to the first half of the 1st century. The oldest strains of leprosy known from Europe are from Great Chesterford in southeast England and dating back to AD 415–545. These findings suggest

2160-547: The BCG vaccine at birth reduces leprosy risk and is recommended in countries with high incidence of TB and people who have leprosy. People living in the same home as a person with leprosy are suggested to take a BCG booster which may improve their immunity by 56%. Development of a more effective vaccine is ongoing. A novel vaccine called LepVax entered clinical trials in 2017 with the first encouraging results reported on 24 participants published in 2020. If successful, this would be

2232-643: The Indian doctor Sushruta 's Compendium , originally dating to c. 600 BC but only surviving in emended texts no earlier than the 5th century. Symptoms consistent with leprosy were possibly described by Hippocrates in 460 BC. However, Hansen's disease probably did not exist in Greece or the Middle East before the Common Era . In 1846, Francis Adams produced The Seven Books of Paulus Aegineta which included

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2304-586: The Near East and traveled with humans along their migration routes, including those of trade in goods and slaves. The four strains of M. leprae are based in specific geographic regions where each predominantly occurs: This confirms the spread of the disease along the migration, colonisation, and slave trade routes taken from East Africa to India, West Africa to the New World, and from Africa into Europe and vice versa. Skeletal remains discovered in 2009 represent

2376-591: The United States. Central Florida accounted for 81% of cases in Florida and nearly 1 out of 5 leprosy cases nationwide. Separating people affected by leprosy by placing them in leper colonies still occurs in some areas of India, China, Africa, and Thailand. Leprosy has affected humanity for thousands of years. The disease takes its name from the Greek word λέπρα ( lépra ), from λεπίς ( lepís ; 'scale'), while

2448-550: The area affected. The skin can crack and if the skin injuries are not carefully cared for, there is a risk for a secondary infection that can lead to more severe damage. In countries where people are frequently infected, a person is considered to have leprosy if they have one of the following two signs: Skin lesions can be single or many, and usually hypopigmented , although occasionally reddish or copper-colored. The lesions may be flat ( macules ), raised ( papules ), or solid elevated areas ( nodular ). Experiencing sensory loss at

2520-515: The bacteria. The region of DNA responsible for this variability is also involved in Parkinson's disease , giving rise to current speculation that the two disorders may be linked at the biochemical level. Most leprosy complications are the result of nerve damage. The nerve damage occurs from direct invasion by the M. leprae bacteria and a person's immune response resulting in inflammation. The molecular mechanism underlying how M. leprae produces

2592-593: The battle with the Fomorians . Macha Mong Ruad ("red hair"), daughter of Áed Rúad ("red fire" or "fire lord" – a name of the Dagda ), was, according to medieval legend and historical tradition, the only queen in the List of High Kings of Ireland . Her father Áed rotated the kingship with his cousins Díthorba and Cimbáeth , seven years at a time. Áed died after his third stint as king, and when his turn came round again, Macha claimed

2664-610: The curse would last for nine generations. Thereafter, the place where Macha gave birth would be called Emain Macha , or "Macha's twins". This tale, The Debility of the Ulstermen ( Noínden Ulad ) explains the meaning of the name Emain Macha , and explains why none of the Ulstermen but the semi-divine hero Cúchulainn could resist the invasion of Ulster in the Táin Bó Cuailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley ). It shows that Macha, as goddess of

2736-452: The diagnosis is typically made without laboratory tests, based on symptoms. If a person has a new leprosy diagnosis and already has a visible disability caused by leprosy, the diagnosis is considered late. In countries or areas where leprosy is uncommon, such as the United States, diagnosis of leprosy is often delayed because healthcare providers are unaware of leprosy and its symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment prevent nerve involvement,

2808-444: The disease is important, since physical and neurological damage may be irreversible even if cured. Medications can decrease the risk of those living with people who have leprosy from acquiring the disease and likely those with whom people with leprosy come into contact outside the home. The WHO recommends that preventive medicine be given to people who are in close contact with someone who has leprosy. The suggested preventive treatment

2880-439: The disease, and lack of medical care in affected areas. The registered prevalence of the disease is used to determine disease burden . Registered prevalence is a useful proxy indicator of the disease burden, as it reflects the number of active leprosy cases diagnosed with the disease and receiving treatment with MDT at a given point in time. The prevalence rate is defined as the number of cases registered for MDT treatment among

2952-427: The first leprosy-specific vaccine available. A number of leprostatic agents are available for treatment. A three-drug regimen of rifampicin , dapsone and clofazimine is recommended for all people with leprosy, for six months for paucibacillary leprosy and 12 months for multibacillary leprosy. Multidrug therapy (MDT) remains highly effective, and people are no longer infectious after the first monthly dose. MDT

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3024-464: The first settlement of Ireland after the flood, although it records nothing about her. Various sources record a second Macha as the wife of Nemed , leader of the second settlement of Ireland after the flood. She was the first of Nemed's people to die in Ireland – twelve years after their arrival according to Geoffrey Keating , twelve days after their arrival according to the Annals of the Four Masters . It

3096-415: The general population. Leprosy also occurs more commonly among those living in poverty. Not all people who are infected with M. leprae develop symptoms. Conditions that reduce immune function, such as malnutrition, other illnesses, or genetic mutations, may increase the risk of developing leprosy. Infection with HIV does not appear to increase the risk of developing leprosy. Certain genetic factors in

3168-447: The hallmark of leprosy, and the disability it causes. There is no recommended test to diagnose latent leprosy in people without symptoms. Few people with latent leprosy test positive for anti PGL-1. The presence of M. leprae bacterial DNA can be identified using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technique. This molecular test alone is not sufficient to diagnose a person, but this approach may be used to identify someone who

3240-472: The hands or feet. Secondary infections (additional bacterial or viral infections) can result in tissue loss, causing fingers and toes to become shortened and deformed, as cartilage is absorbed into the body. A person's immune response differs depending on the form of leprosy. Approximately 30% of people affected with leprosy experience nerve damage. The nerve damage sustained is reversible when treated early, but becomes permanent when appropriate treatment

3312-515: The house and acting as his wife. Soon she becomes pregnant by him. As long as they were together Cruinniuc's wealth grew. When he leaves to attend a festival organised by the king of Ulster, she warns him that she will only stay with him so long as he does not speak of her to anyone, and he promises to say nothing. However, during a chariot race, he boasts that his wife can run faster than the king's horses. The king orders Cruinniuc be held on pain of death unless he can make good on his claim. Although she

3384-493: The human body often described are the skin and the nasal mucosa, although their relative importance is not clear. Lepromatous cases show large numbers of organisms deep in the dermis , but whether they reach the skin surface in sufficient numbers is doubtful. Leprosy may also be transmitted to humans by armadillos , although the mechanism is not fully understood. Not all people who are infected or exposed to M. leprae develop leprosy, and genetic factors are suspected to play

3456-513: The human immune response, white blood cell -derived macrophages may engulf M. leprae by phagocytosis . In the initial stages, small sensory and autonomic nerve fibers in the skin of a person with leprosy are damaged. This damage usually results in hair loss to the area, a loss of the ability to sweat, and numbness (decreased ability to detect sensations such as temperature and touch). Further peripheral nerve damage may result in skin dryness, more numbness, and muscle weaknesses or paralysis in

3528-636: The idea of the sovereignty goddess, but this has been shown to rest on little evidence. Likewise the role of the Empress of Constantinople, who appears in the Middle Welsh Peredur but not in its French source, has been found to be open to other readings. Even where female characters might historically owe something to traditions of sovereignty goddesses, reading them primarily through this lens has been argued to be limiting and reductive. Leper Leprosy , also known as Hansen's disease ( HD ),

3600-457: The inauguration of the king of the Cenél Conaill , the successor to the kingship publicly sexually embraced a white mare. This would then be slaughtered and cooked into a broth in which the king bathed, before he and his people drank it. However, the type-text for the idea of the sovereignty goddess is the medieval Irish Echtra Mac nEchach ('the adventures of the sons of Eochaid'), in which

3672-446: The kingship. Díthorba and Cimbáeth refused to allow a woman to take the throne, and a battle ensued. Macha won, and Díthorba was killed. She won a second battle against Díthorba's sons, who fled into the wilderness of Connacht . She married Cimbáeth, with whom she shared the kingship. Macha pursued Díthorba's sons alone, disguised as a leper , and overcame each of them in turn when they tried to have sex with her, tied them up, and carried

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3744-451: The land and sovereignty, can be vengeful if disrespected, and how the rule of a bad king leads to disaster. This Macha is particularly associated with horses—it is perhaps significant that twin colts were born on the same day as Cúchulainn, and that one of his chariot-horses was called Liath Macha or "Macha's Grey"—and she is often compared with the Welsh mythological figure Rhiannon . Macha

3816-524: The leprosy epidemic in medieval Europe. A pre- Norman era skull excavated in Hoxne, Suffolk , in 2017 was found to carry DNA from a strain of Mycobacterium leprae, which closely matched the strain carried by modern red squirrels on Brownsea Island , UK. The greatest risk factor for developing leprosy is contact with another person infected by leprosy. People who are exposed to a person who has leprosy are 5–8 times more likely to develop leprosy than members of

3888-420: The local goddess, that of the warrior and dominator; and this is combined with the sexual aspect in a specific manner which reappears in other myths, the male partner or partners being dominated by the female." Macha, daughter of Sainrith mac Imbaith, was the wife of Cruinniuc , an Ulster farmer. Some time after the death of Cruinniuc's first wife, Macha appears at his house. Without speaking, she begins keeping

3960-559: The oldest documented evidence for leprosy, dating to the 2nd millennium BC . Located at Balathal , Rajasthan, in northwest India, the discoverers suggest that, if the disease did migrate from Africa to India during the 3rd millennium BC "at a time when there was substantial interaction among the Indus Civilization, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, there needs to be additional skeletal and molecular evidence of leprosy in India and Africa to confirm

4032-471: The person exposed have been associated with developing lepromatous or tuberculoid leprosy. Transmission of leprosy occurs during close contact with those who are infected. Transmission of leprosy is through the upper respiratory tract . Older research suggested the skin as the main route of transmission, but research has increasingly favored the respiratory route. Transmission occurs through inhalation of bacilli present in upper airway secretion. Leprosy

4104-542: The plain"). In modern Scottish Gaelic , the etymologically related term machair refers to a fertile grassy plain that is maintained by continuous trampling and grazing of livestock. In the Dindsenchas Macha is called Grian Banchure , the "Sun of Womanfolk" and is referred to as the daughter of Midir of Brí Léith. A poem in the Lebor Gabála Érenn mentions Macha as one of the daughters of Partholón , leader of

4176-458: The population in which the cases have occurred, again at a given point in time. Using comparative genomics , in 2005, geneticists traced the origins and worldwide distribution of leprosy from East Africa or the Near East along human migration routes. They found four strains of M. leprae with specific regional locations: Monot et al. (2005) determined that leprosy originated in East Africa or

4248-470: The skin lesion is a feature that can help determine if the lesion is caused by leprosy or by another disorder such as tinea versicolor . Thickened nerves are associated with leprosy and can be accompanied by loss of sensation or muscle weakness, but muscle weakness without the characteristic skin lesion and sensory loss is not considered a reliable sign of leprosy. In some cases, acid-fast leprosy bacilli in skin smears are considered diagnostic; however,

4320-441: The stigma surrounding leprosy may help improve outcomes for people with leprosy. In 2018, there were 208,619 new cases of leprosy recorded, a slight decrease from 2017. In 2015, 94% of the new leprosy cases were confined to 14 countries. India reported the greatest number of new cases (60% of reported cases), followed by Brazil (13%) and Indonesia (8%). Although the number of cases worldwide continues to fall, there are parts of

4392-504: The supernatural, or who have been named after kingdoms, originate as sovereignty goddesses, whereas those whose names relate to drink or some other benefit of the hall were queens. However, recent scholarship has tended to criticise these assumptions, in both medieval Irish and related material. For example, the portrayals of Gormflaith ingen Donncadha (d. 861), Gormflaith ingen Flann Sinna (c. 870–948), and Gormflaith ingen Murchada (960–1030) have all been read as showing influence from

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4464-485: The symptoms of leprosy is not clear, but M. leprae has been shown to bind to Schwann cells , which may lead to nerve injury including demyelination and a loss of nerve function (specifically a loss of axonal conductance). Numerous molecular mechanisms have been associated with this nerve damage including the presence of a laminin -binding protein and the glycoconjugate (PGL-1) on the surface of M. leprae that can bind to laminin on peripheral nerves . As part of

4536-452: The term Mesrad Machae , "the mast of Macha", refers to "the heads of men that have been slaughtered". A version of the same gloss in MS H.3.18 identifies Macha with Badb, calling the trio "raven women" who instigate battle. Keating explicitly calls them "goddesses", but medieval Irish tradition was keen to remove all trace of pre-Christian religion. Macha is said to have been killed by Balor during

4608-467: The term "Hansen's disease" is named after the Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen . Leprosy has historically been associated with social stigma , which continues to be a barrier to self-reporting and early treatment. Leprosy is classified as a neglected tropical disease . World Leprosy Day was started in 1954 to draw awareness to those affected by leprosy. The study of leprosy and its treatment

4680-499: The testes and impotence may occur. Leprosy can affect people in different ways. The average incubation period is five years. People may begin to notice symptoms within the first year or up to 20 years after infection. The first noticeable sign of leprosy is often the development of pale or pink coloured patches of skin that may be insensitive to temperature or pain. Patches of discolored skin are sometimes accompanied or preceded by nerve problems including numbness or tenderness in

4752-493: The three Morrígna '. Like other sovereignty goddesses, Macha is associated with the land, fertility, kingship, war and horses. Proinsias Mac Cana discusses three Machas: Macha, wife of Nemed; Queen Macha, wife of Cimbáeth; and Macha, wife of Crunnchu, who caused the debility of the Ulstermen. Gregory Toner discusses four, with the addition of Macha as one of the three Morrigans. The name is presumably derived from Proto-Celtic * makajā denoting "a plain" (genitive * makajās "of

4824-482: The three of them bodily to Ulster . The Ulstermen wanted to have them killed, but Macha instead enslaved them and forced them to build Emain Macha (Navan Fort near Armagh), to be the capital of the Ulaid , marking out its boundaries with her brooch (explaining the name Emain Macha as eó-muin Macha or "Macha's neck-brooch"). Macha ruled together with Cimbáeth for seven years, until he died of plague at Emain Macha, and then

4896-535: The time. International (e.g., the WHO 's "Global Strategy for Reducing Disease Burden Due to Leprosy") and national (e.g., the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations) initiatives have reduced the total number and the number of new cases of the disease. The number of new leprosy cases is difficult to measure and monitor because of leprosy's long incubation period, delays in diagnosis after onset of

4968-417: The unborn child or through sexual contact. Leprosy occurs more commonly among people living in poverty. There are two main types of the disease – paucibacillary and multibacillary, which differ in the number of bacteria present. A person with paucibacillary disease has five or fewer poorly pigmented , numb skin patches, while a person with multibacillary disease has more than five skin patches. The diagnosis

5040-403: The victim to lose limbs and digits but not directly. M. leprae attacks nerve endings and destroys the body's ability to feel pain and injury. Without feeling pain, people with leprosy have an increased risk of injuring themselves. Injuries become infected and result in tissue loss. Fingers, toes, and limbs become shortened and deformed as the tissue is absorbed into the body. Early detection of

5112-413: The world where leprosy is more common, including Brazil, South Asia (India, Nepal, Bhutan), some parts of Africa (Tanzania, Madagascar, Mozambique), and the western Pacific. About 150 to 250 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. In the 1960s, there were tens of millions of leprosy cases recorded when the bacteria started to develop resistance to dapsone , the most common treatment option at

5184-540: Was sustained in the armadillo population, and it may be transmitted back to humans, making leprosy a zoonotic disease (spread between humans and animals). Red squirrels ( Sciurus vulgaris ) , a threatened species in Great Britain, were found to carry leprosy in November 2016. It has been suggested that the trade in red squirrel fur, highly prized in the medieval period and intensively traded, may have been responsible for

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