Sequencing of the genome of a second strain of Mycobacterium leprae and the development of a genome-wide typing scheme have provided deeper understanding of the evolution and epidemiology of the leprosy bacillus. A new study confirms that leprosy has a single clone origin and has spread around the globe, following human migration and trade over the last several thousand years.
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Maiden, M. Putting leprosy on the map. Nat Genet 41, 1264–1266 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1209-1264
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1209-1264
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