©CNN
Pre-reading questions:
- What is ‘leprosy’?
- What diseases or illnesses tend to have localized outbreaks in specific regions of your country?
Vocabulary:
- absence /AB-suhns/
- nerve /nurv/
- sneeze /sneez/
- potential /puh-TEN-shuhl/
- underestimated /uhn-dr-EH-stuh-may-tuhd/
[noun] – the lack or nonexistence of common risk factors
The absence of any warning signs led to the unexpected outcome of the experiment.
[noun] – a group of long, thin fibres (= structures like threads) that carry information or instructions between the brain and other parts of the body
Damage to the nerve can lead to numbness and tingling in the affected area.
[noun] – the act of forcefully expelling air and droplets from the nose and mouth due to irritation or infection
He couldn’t suppress the sudden sneeze during the quiet meeting, causing everyone to turn and look.
[adjective] – possible when the necessary conditions exist
The new renewable energy technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we generate electricity, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
[adjective] – something is not fully or accurately valued, appreciated, or acknowledged for its true importance, potential, or impact
The underestimated impact of climate change on coastal communities has led to unexpected challenges and vulnerabilities.
Article reading:
Central Florida’s high leprosy rates are concerning. In 2020, while the US reported 159 cases, Central Florida had 81% of Florida’s and nearly 20% of the national total. Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, comes from Mycobacterium leprae, affecting nerves under the skin. How it spreads isn’t fully understood, but it might involve respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes. Symptoms include numbing lesions due to nerve issues. The bacteria can even live in nine-banded armadillos, raising questions about human exposure. Yet, spreading it requires prolonged contact with untreated patients, a situation to which about 95% of people are genetically resistant. While leprosy has often been linked to foreign travel or armadillo contact, an increase in puzzling cases suggests a potential endemic situation. The gradual appearance of symptoms makes tracing the disease’s source difficult, often leading to misdiagnoses. Experts emphasize that while endemicity implies regular occurrences, there’s no immediate cause for widespread concern. Dr. Nathoo’s discovery of a case cluster in Central Florida underscores the need for heightened awareness and early detection to effectively address this underestimated health challenge.
Comprehension questions
- How was leprosy diagnosed in a 54-year-old landscaper in Orlando?
- What has raised concerns about Central Florida becoming an unexpected hotspot for leprosy?
- How does leprosy spread, and what are its symptoms?
- What might be the potential source of exposure to leprosy in Central Florida?
- Why is tracing the source of leprosy cases difficult, and what has often led to misdiagnoses?
Discussion questions
- Have you ever encountered a health issue that changed how you see healthcare in your country? If so, can you tell me about it and how it affected your views on healthcare accessibility? If not, is there a specific health problem you believe needs more attention in your country?
- Have you heard of cases where a disease appears more often in a certain area than expected? If so, what do you think about how this might change what people know about health risks? If not, how do you think unexpected health trends could affect communities and hospitals?
- Do you think it’s important for people to know about and find diseases early, especially when they show up more in certain places?
- How could finding a bunch of cases of a disease in one area, like leprosy in Central Florida, change how doctors and health officials work to prevent and treat that disease?
- How do you think doctors and scientists can work together to learn more about diseases that are more common in some places than others, like the higher cases of leprosy in Central Florida?