RESUMO
A study was conducted to establish age and sex distribution of leprosy, the type, incidence and prevalence of this disease and the outcome of control measures. From January 1983 to December 1986, 185 consecutive new leprosy patients were diagnosed by consultant dermatologists of the Ministry of Health in the Eastern Province. Of the patients, 71 were Saudis and 114 non-Saudis, 88 came from South India, ten from Sri Lanka, seven from Thailand, three from the Philippines. two from Yemen and one each from Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Korea and Indonesia. Among the Saudis men outnumbered women in the ratio of 3:1, with a mean age 32.2 years and range of 8-80 years. In the non-Saudi patients men outnumbered women in the ratio of 15:1, with a mean age of 35.6 years and range of 9-57 years. Overall, the disease was more prevalent in the age-group 21-40 years, although other age-groups were also affected. Tuberculoid leprosy was significantly more common in Saudi than in non-Saudi patients [0.01