Is increasing MB ratio a positive indicator of declining leprosy?

ABSTRACT

In recent years, an increasing MB ratio-trend has been seen in most state reported leprosy data in India and elsewhere. The programme of leprosy all over the world has been integrated with general health system (GHS). This has given rise to gross under reporting of leprosy cases and increasing MB ratio. This paper examines this critical issue and attempt to find out the causes of this trend. The findings suggest clearly that increasing MB ratio is the result of early cases of leprosy being missed out. This can be to the extent of 73% when MB ratio is reached to 47.5%.