Genomic Analysis Finds Genes Associated with Antibiotic-Resistant Leprosy

Researchers report that they have isolated, sequenced, and analyzed the genomes of  Mycobacterium leprae  from around the world. The study found several genes that are associated with resistance to antibiotics, including new genes that might point to previously unknown mechanisms of drug resistance.Despite being curable with multidrug therapy, leprosy still persists in many developing countries, with more than 200,000 new cases every year and increasing drug-resistant strains of the le