Was the leprosy described in the Bible the same as the disease known by that name today?

 
The medical term “leprosy” as used today refers to a human bacterial infection. This bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae) was first identified by Dr. G.A. Hansen in 1873. Researchers have discovered that the bacteria can survive outside the body in nasal secretions for up to nine days. They have also found that people in close association with leprosy patients have a greater chance of contracting the disease and that contaminated clothing is a possible source of infection. According to the World Health Organization, more than 220,000 new cases of leprosy were reported in 2007.
 
There is no doubt that leprosy afflicted people in the Middle East in Biblical times, and the Mosaic Law required that a person with leprosy be quarantined. (Leviticus 13:4, 5) However, the Hebrew word tsa‧ra′ʽath translated “leprosy” was not confined to a medical condition. Tsa‧ra′ʽath also affected clothing and houses. This kind of leprosy could appear in woolen or linen garments or in anything made of leather. In some cases, it could be eliminated by washing, but if a “yellowish-green or reddish plague” persisted, the garment or leather was to be burned. (Leviticus 13:47-52) In houses, the plague manifested itself as “yellowish-green or reddish depressions” in a wall. Affected stones and mortar were to be removed and discarded—away from human habitation. If the leprosy returned, the building was to be demolished and the materials disposed of. (Leviticus 14:33-45) Some suggest that the leprosy in garments or houses might have described what is now called mildew or mold. However, this cannot be stated with certainty.