ABSTRACT
@#Abstract：Objective To investigate the detection methods of newly discovered leprosy cases in Hunan Province in 2013-2022, and analyze the trend of changes, and provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of leprosy. Methods The detailed information of newly diagnosed leprosy cases in Hunan Province from 2013 to 2022 was collected through the Leprosy Management Information System (LEPMIS), and the descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the detection methods of newly discovered leprosy cases. Results From 2013 to 2022, a total of 250 newly diagnosed leprosy cases were detected in Hunan Province, including 143 cases (57.20%) were found in outpatient clinics, 33 cases (13.20%) were found in clue investigations, 27 cases (10.80%) were notifiable-reported, 23 cases (9.20%) were self-reported, 11 cases (4.40%) were found in other ways (e.g., group survey), 9 cases (3.60%) were found in contact examinations, 2 cases (0.80%) were found in census, and 2 cases (0.80%) were found in epidemic point inspection. From 2013 to 2022, the number of cases detected in outpatient clinics showed an upward trend (rs=0.515), while the cases detected in clue investigation (rs=-0.873), notifiable-reported (rs=-0.127), self-reported (rs=-0.301), contact examination (rs=-0.363), census (rs=-0.701) and epidemic point inspection (rs=-0.701) showed a downward trend. The majority of leprosy cases with different demography characteristics and clinical characteristics were found through outpatient clinics, except that the majority of leprosy cases in children were found by contact examination (66.76%). Of 165 male cases, 92 cases (55.76%) were found in outpatient clinics and 51 out of 85 female cases (60.00%) were found in outpatient clinics. Among age groups, 113 out of 187 cases aged 15 to 60 (60.43%) and 30 out of 60 cases aged over 60 (50.00%) were found in outpatient clinics. Among patients with differentoccupations, 112 out of 208 cases of farmers (53.85%) and 31 out of 42 cases of other occupations (73.81%) were found inoutpatient clinics. Among cases with different types of leprosy, 111 out of 185 cases of multibacillary leprosy (60.00%) and 32 out of 65 cases of paucibacillary leprosy (49.23%) were found in outpatient clinics. Among cases with different numbers of skin lesions, 4 out of 8 cases of skin lesion-free leprosy (50.00%), 3 out of 9 cases of single skin lesion leprosy (33.33%), and 136 out of 233 cases of multiple skin lesions leprosy (58.37%) were found in outpatient clinics. Of 72 cases without nerve damage, 48 cases (66.67%) were found in outpatient clinics. Of 27 cases with single nerve damage, 17 cases (62.96%) were found in outpatient clinics. Of 151 cases with multiple nerve damage, 78 cases (51.66%) were found in outpatient clinics. Among patients with different levels of malformation, 58 out of 102 cases with no malformation (56.86%), 28 out of 45 cases with Grade malformation (62.22%), 35 out of 68 cases with Grade Ⅱmalformation (51.47%), and 22 out of 35 cases with other types of malformation (62.86%) were found in outpatient clinics. Conclusions Outpatient clinics is the main way to detect newlydiagnosed leprosy cases under the low prevalence of leprosy in Hunan Province, and it is an important strategy to move the early detection of leprosy cases to comprehensive medical institutions in the future.