Disfigured, but defiant, these are
the last surviving members of a Chinese leper colony who were banished
from society because many believed they were cursed.
In Luduo, one of nearly
200 leprosy villages in Yunnan province, close to 80 sufferers were quarantined when it was first established.
But
the majority have since died in the camp without ever seeing their
relatives again, even after they were cured, because of the stigma
attached to the condition.
Now just seven remain.
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Together to the end: The last surviving members
of the Luduo leper colony in Yunnan province, China, proudly pose for a
picture after being banished to the remote camp because of their illness
Banished: Luduo resident Zhao Jin Feng stands
outside the old village hospital. Close to 80 people affected by
Hansen's disease were quarantine in the village when it was first
established
Desperate plight: He Feng Xing, aged 73, smokes a
cigarette at the abandoned village hospital. Mr He last saw his family
when he was quarantined by his father in 1953 at the age of 13
Five of them were sent to Luduo when
they developed the disease later in life, while the other two were born there
after their mothers were quarantined while pregnant.
Leprosy,
also known as Hansen's disease, is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium
leprae, which damages the skin and the peripheral nervous system.
A common myth is that body parts can fall off, but it can cause limbs to become numb or diseased from secondary infections.
Leper colonies became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, because people feared that the disfiguring disease was highly contagious.
Zhao Jin Feng, aged 76, walks with the aide of a
cane through the doorway of the abandoned village hospital in Luduo.
His mother was quarantined by her husband while she was pregnant
Disabling: He Feng Xing removes his shoe, while Zhao Jin Feng shows the effects of the disease on her feet
Ostracised: Tian Xing Fa (left) and He Feng Xing, both aged 73, take a break. Mr Tian was quarantined in 1968 and Mr He in 1953
For centuries, many cultures also saw it
as a curse or a punishment from the gods, leaving only priests or holy
men able to treat it.
As such, many of the original colonies, often run by monasteries, were located in remote areas to keep them as far away from the rest of the population as possible.
People were so afraid of the
condition that many who did not actually have leprosy, but other
skin diseases, were also sent there.
However, research in the 20th century
revealed that it is, in fact, very difficult to contract and that 95
per cent of the world's population is immune.
Taking time out: Tian Xing Fa, who was quarantined in 1968, smokes in the countryside in Luduo
Misunderstood: He Feng Xing (left) poses for the camera, while Zhao Jin Feng eats his lunch with chopsticks
Disfiguring: Leprosy, also known as Hansen's
disease, is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae, which damages
the skin and the peripheral nervous system
MILLIONS CURED OF THE DISEASE THAT ONCE TERRIFIED THE WORLD
Leprosy,
also known as Hansen's disease after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen,
is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium
lepromatosis.
Left untreated, the disease can cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.
Although the form of transmission remains uncertain, it is thought to be through respiratory droplets.
The
World Health Organization estimated that in 1995 between two and three
million people were permanently disabled because of leprosy.
In the past 20 years, 15 million people have been cured of leprosy worldwide.
This led to campaigners dubbing it the world's 'least contagious communicable disease'.
Doctors are still unsure exactly how
leprosy is spread, although it's thought to be through airborne droplets transmitted through coughing and sneezing.
The disease became curable in 1941 and
sufferers can now easily be treated with a multi-drug treatment (MDT)
for six to 12 months.
When treated early, the disease is not disabling and leaves no marks at all.
As a result, many leper colonies have closed because there was no longer a perceived need for such facilities.
Yet, despite this, it remains
misunderstood and the stigma associated with it, as well as the
psychological effects, can often be harder to deal with than the
physical symptoms themselves.
Doomed: For centuries, many cultures saw the
illness as a curse or a punishment from the gods, leaving only priests
or holy men able to treat it
Segregated: Many colonies were located in remote areas to keep them as far away from the rest of the population as possible
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