Boletim epidemiológico: frequência de contatos não examinados de casos novos de hanseníase virchowiana e dimorfa com baciloscopia positiva - Goiás, 2017 a 2021 / Epidemiological bulletin: frequency of unexamined contacts of new cases of Virchowian and borderline leprosy with positive bacilloscopy - Goiás, 2017 to 2021

A hanseníase é uma doença infecciosa crônica, causada pelo Mycobacterium leprae, um bacilo com tropismo pela pele e pelos nervos periféricos, com potencial de provocar deformidades físicas e incapacidades. O período de incubação da doença é longo, de 2 a 7 anos, podendo chegar a 20 anos ou mais. Este estudo consiste em uma análise retrospectiva, quantitativa, descritiva, das fichas de notificação do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação - SINAN dos pacientes com diagnóstico de hanseníase (CID A30), nos anos de 2017 a 2021 e os Boletins de acompanhamento das referidas fichas

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a bacillus with tropism for the skin and peripheral nerves, with the potential to cause physical deformities and disabilities. The incubation period of the disease is long, from 2 to 7 years, and can reach 20 years or more. This study consists of a retrospective, quantitative, descriptive analysis of the notification of the Notifiable Diseases Information System - SINAN of patients diagnosed with leprosy (ICD A30), in the years 2017 to 2021 and the follow-up Bulletins of the referred forms

Lepra lepromatosa macular en la infancia: presentación de un caso / Lepromatous macular leprosy in childhood. Presentation of a case

Introducción: la lepra es una enfermedad infectocontagiosa causada por el mycobacterium leprae, llamada también enfermedad de Hansen en honor a quien descubrió la bacteria en 1873, presenta varias formas clínicas y estados reaccionales que dependen de la inmunidad especifica del huésped. Presentación de caso: paciente masculino de 12 años con diagnóstico de lepra lepromatosa macular caracterizada por máculas hipocrómicas anestésicas y neuritis periférica bilateral y simétrica de los nervios: auricular mayor y cubital, la baciloscopia negativa y el resultado de la histología probablemente lepra. Discusión: en el campo de la Dermatopediatría la lepra sigue siendo una patología poco descrita y subvalorada en la consulta diaria, por ello se convierte en un desafío diagnóstico, debido a la diversidad de manifestaciones clínicas que se pueden presentar, es necesario un minucioso examen cutáneo-neural en todo niño, que presente lesiones cutáneas sugestivas y fuente infecciosa sospechosa. Conclusiones: la presencia de máculas hipocrómicas anestésicas y neuritis periférica bilateral y simétrica de los nervios: auricular mayor y cubital, la presencia antecedentes familiares con la enfermedad y histología probablemente lepra contribuyeron al diagnóstico de una lepra lepromatosa macular(AU)

Introduction: leprosy is an infectious disease caused by mycobacterium leprae, also called Hansen's disease in honor of the one who discovered the bacteria in 1873. It has several clinical forms and reaction states that depend on the specific immunity of the host. Case presentation: a 12-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of lepromatous macular leprosy, characterized by hypochromic anesthetic macules and bilateral symmetric peripheral neuritis of the nerves: major and ulnar auricular, negative smear and the result of probably leprosy histology. Discussion: in the field of Dermatopediatrics, leprosy is still a pathology that is little described and undervalued in the daily practice, therefore it becomes a diagnostic challenge, due to the diversity of clinical manifestations that may occur, a thorough skin examination is necessary-neural in every child, presenting suggestive skin lesions and suspicious infectious source. Conclusions: the presence of hypochromic anesthetic maculae and bilateral symmetric peripheral neuritis of the nerves: major and ulnar auricular, presence of family history with the disease and probably leprosy histology contributed to the diagnosis of lepromatous macular leprosy(EU)

A case of leprosy in Malawi. Making the final push towards eradication: a clinical and public health perspective.

Statistically speaking, Malawi has achieved the World Health Organisation's target for the elimination of leprosy (<1 case per 10 000 people), yet the disease is still considered a leading cause of long term physical disability. In this case study the authors discuss the presentation of a 39-year-old gentleman to a district hospital in Malawi with multibacillary, lepromatous leprosy. The condition was initially managed in the community as an 'allergy' which suggests that local barriers currently hinder the detection of leprosy in this developing primary care system. Leprosy is a multi-system disease and this gentleman demonstrated evidence of lepromatous orchitis. Promoting an awareness of these systemic manifestations will increase the the detection of complications and circumvent long term morbidity. Efforts to optimise systems of detection, management and public and professional education are essential to drive eradication in these at-risk populations. At an international level, we must strive to fulfil the objectives outlined by the 'Enhanced Global Strategy for Further Reducing the Disease Burden due to Leprosy for 2011-2015'. At a national level, local research should delineate community factors that impede the eradication of leprosy. Developing new diagnostic and epidemiologic tools, more efficacious chemoprophylactic regimens and vaccination for endemic regions would facilitate these efforts.

A study of the prevalence of smear-positive leprosy cases in a tertiary care center in the post-elimination phase of leprosy.

BACKGROUND: India has declared leprosy to be eliminated in the country, according to the WHO criteria of attaining a prevalence of less than 1 in 10,000. However, smear-positive leprosy cases are frequently being encountered. METHODS: This is an 18-year retrospective study done in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Government Medical College, Trivandrum. Data were collected from the records of all cases in the study period, and the prevalence of smear-positive cases was determined in the post-elimination phase and this was compared to the pre-elimination phase. RESULTS: A total of 901 cases were analyzed, which comprised 538 cases in the pre- and 363 cases in the post-elimination phase. The male/female ratio in the pre and post phases was 2.61 : 1 and 2.45 : 1, respectively. Borderline tuberculoid accounted for the commonest type in both the pre and post phases comprising 45.54 and 50.69%, respectively. Type 2 lepra reactions were seen in 40.21% of the reaction cases in the post-elimination phase. The smear-positive cases in the post-elimination phase accounted for 34.99% compared to 14.68% in the pre-elimination phase. Lepromatous leprosy (LL) accounted for 67.71% of the smear-positive cases in the post phase compared to 67.08% in the pre phase. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increase of 20.30% of smear-positive cases in the post-elimination phase, which was statistically significant (P < 0.001), and the majority of them were LL (P < 0.001).

Fenómeno de Lucio reaccional y anticuerpos antifosfolípidos en pacientes con lepra lepromatosa difusa. Reporte del primer caso descrito en el Paraguay / No disponible

El Fenómeno de Lucio es un episodio reaccional de necrosis cutánea que ocurre en la Lepra de Lucio. Ocurre en el curso de la enfermedad tras tres o cuatro años, sobre todo en aquellos pacientes no tratados o que han recibido tratamiento pero de forma irregular. Se manifiestan con máculas purpúricas que progresan a lesiones ulcerosas superficiales, poligonales o anguladas, a veces con ampollas, con sensación quemante, en un paciente sin fiebre, síntomas generales ni daño visceral. El cuadro dura no más de 15 días. Presentamos el caso de un varón adulto, quien presentó un cuadro con necrosis traumática del dedo medio del pie izquierdo, con su posterior amputación y tratamiento antibiótico, tras lo cual desarrolla Fenómeno de Lucio reaccional, con positividad de anticuerpos antifosfolípidos, sin fenómeno trombótico coexistente

Lucio’s Phenomenon is a skin necrotizing reactional condition that occurs in Lucio’s Leprosy. It generally occurs three or four years after the illness has begun, especially in patients who had not been treated or have had an irregular treatment. The condition manifests with purpuric macules that progress to superficial ulcers, with polygonal or angled shapes, some of them with blisters accompanied by a burning sensation. Lucio’s Phenomenon is usually afebrile, and shows no general symptoms of being ill or visceral damage. It typically resolves within 15 days. We report the case of an adult male, who presents with traumatic necrosis of the middle finger of the left foot. The patient is subjected to amputation and antibiotics. After that, he develops Lucio’s Phenomenon with Antiphospholipid antibodies, without a thrombotic episode

Prevention of repeated episodes of type 2 reaction of leprosy with the use of thalidomide 100 mg/day.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy can have its course interrupted by type 1 and 2 reactional episodes, the last named of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). Thalidomide has been the medication of choice for the control of ENL episodes since 1965. OBJECTIVES: These episodes can repeat and cause damages to the patient. In order to prevent these episodes, an extra dose of 100 mg/day thalidomide was used during six months, followed by a follow-up period of six more months after thalidomide discontinuation. METHODS: We included 42 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy who had episodes of ENL. They were male and female patients aged between 18 and 84 years. RESULTS: Of the 42 patients, 39 (92.85%) had the lepromatous form and three (7.15%) had the borderline form. We found that 100% of patients had no reactional episode during the use of the drug. During the follow-up period after thalidomide discontinuation, 33 (78.57%) patients had no reactional episode and nine (21.43%), all of them with the lepromatous form, had mild episodes, which were controlled using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. There were no thalidomide-related side effects. CONCLUSION: A maintenance dose of 100 mg/day of thalidomide showed to be effective to prevent repeated type 2 reactional episodes of ENL.

Prevention of repeated episodes of type 2 reaction of leprosy with the use of thalidomide 100 mg/day

BACKGROUND: Leprosy can have its course interrupted by type 1 and 2 reactional episodes, the last named of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). Thalidomide has been the medication of choice for the control of ENL episodes since 1965. OBJECTIVES: These episodes can repeat and cause damages to the patient. In order to prevent these episodes, an extra dose of 100 mg/day thalidomide was used during six months, followed by a follow-up period of six more months after thalidomide discontinuation. METHODS: We included 42 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy who had episodes of ENL. They were male and female patients aged between 18 and 84 years. RESULTS: Of the 42 patients, 39 (92.85%) had the lepromatous form and three (7.15%) had the borderline form. We found that 100% of patients had no reactional episode during the use of the drug. During the follow-up period after thalidomide discontinuation, 33 (78.57%) patients had no reactional episode and nine (21.43%), all of them with the lepromatous form, had mild episodes, which were controlled using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. There were no thalidomide-related side effects. CONCLUSION: A maintenance dose of 100 mg/day of thalidomide showed to be effective to prevent repeated type 2 reactional episodes of ENL. .

Prevenção de incapacidades em hanseníase: relato de caso / Prevention of disability in leprosy: case report

Introdução: a hanseníase é uma doença que afeta o ser humano como um todo. O Mycobacterium leprae (ML) é o responsável pelo desenvolvimento dessa doença dermatoneurológica crônica e por ser uma doença de evolução lenta, na maioria dos casos, pode gerar um alto grau de incapacidades e deformidades em indivíduos não tratados ou tratados inadequadamente devido a diagnósticos tardios,ocasionando limitações na vida social e laborativa. O homem é considerado a única fonte de infecção e de transmissão da hanseníase os nervos mais frequentemente acometidos são o ulnar, mediano, radial, tibial posterior e fibular. Com a evolução da hanseníase, dois outros fenômenos estão relacionados ao processo inflamatório intenso provocado pelos bacilos acometem os nervos, prejudicando-os em graus variados: as neurites e as reações. Para prevenir incapacidades em hanseníase são necessárias medidas que visem à manutenção física, emocional e socioeconômica do indivíduo e que evitem complicações nos casos onde os danos já estão presentes. Objetivo: este estudo tem como objetivo descrever um caso clínico e focar nas questões de avaliação de força muscular e sensibilidade (monitoração da função neural), diagnóstico e prevenção de incapacidades, mesmo quando já existem sequelas instaladas, visando evitar as complicações e melhorar a qualidade de vida do paciente nestas condições. Resultados e discussão: Como descrito na literatura consultada, a maior frequência de lesões ocorre em pés, seguida das lesões em mãos. Geralmente os nervos afetados são mistos, isto é, possuem fibras sensitivas, motoras e autonômicas. As alterações acontecem em todos esses aspectos, e foram observadas no paciente deste estudo, comprovando a necessidade da intervenção fisioterapêutica. Considerações finais: Pôde-se observar a necessidade de uma avaliação fisioterapêutica ampla, que considere o indivíduo como um todo, para se traçar os objetivos e condutas adequados de acordo com as particularidades existentes.

Introduction: leprosy is a disease that affects the human being as awhole. Mycobacterium leprae (ML) is responsible for the developmentof this disease the dermatological-neurological chronic disease to be a slow evolution, in most cases, can generate a high degree of disability and deformity in untreated or inadequately treated because of late diagnosis, causing limitations in social life and labors. The man is considered the only source of infection and transmission of leprosy nerves most often affected are the ulnar, median, radial, posterior tibial and fibular. With the evolution of leprosy, two other phenomena are related to the intense inflammation caused by bacilli affect the nerves, damaging them in varying degrees: neuritis and reactions. To prevent disability in leprosy are necessary measures to maintain the physical, emotional and socio-economic of the individual and to avoid complications in cases where the damage is already present. Objective: this study aims to describe a clinical case and focus on issues of assessment of muscle strength and sensitivity (monitoring of nerve function), diagnosis and prevention of disabilities, even when there are sequels already installed in order to avoid complications and improve quality of life the patient in this condition. Results and discussion: as described in the literature, the highest frequency of injuries occur in feet, followed by lesions on the hand. Usually the affected nerves are mixed, ie they have sensory fibers, motor and autonomic. Changes occur in all these respects, and were observed in this study patient, demonstrating the need for physiotherapy intervention. Conclusion: it might be noted the need for a comprehensive physical therapy evaluation, which considers the individual as a whole, to outline the objectives and conduct appropriate according to the specific ones.

Two microbiological relapses in a patient with lepromatous leprosy.

A lepromatous patient treated with dapsone in the pre-MDT era to the point of smear negativity (> 6 years), relapsed 5 years after stopping treatment. He was then put on WHO-MDT for multibacillary (MB) leprosy, and was treated again; he had negative slit skin smears (3 years). He again presented with a relapse of leprosy 17 years after stopping treatment, and this time he presented with borderline leprosy in reaction.

Detección precoz de lepra infantile a tra´ves del entrenamiento de profesores de esucelas primarias: experiencia en un barrio periférico de Cuiabá-Mato Grosso (Brasil) / No disponible

La lepra continúa siendo hoy un problema de Salud Pública muy importante en algunos países, como el Brasil. A pesar de los importantes avances en materia de tratamientos en los últimos 10 años, la inexistencia de un medio diagnóstico que detecte la microbacteria en los estadios iniciales de la enfermedad y la también inexistencia de vacuna eficaz para prevención primaria hacen del tratamiento precoz la única arma de que disponemos para evitar en los posible la aparición de las incapacidades. Por otra parte, la alta 0prevalencia de la lepra en muchos países coexiste con una situación de desamparo social y sanitario, permaneciendo los pacientes en estadios iniciales – en su mayoría niños- lejos de los circuitos habituales de los servicios médicos. Es por ello que los profesores de las escuelas primarias ocupan un lugar destacado en el plan de detección precoz, pues son elementos en constante contacto con los niños, cumpliendo una doble misión: por un lado, siendo agentes multiplicadores de educación sanitaria, enseñando a los alumnos los signos y síntomas precoces de la lepra y modificando actitudes de repulsa hacia los enfermos; por otra parte, profesores entrenados para detectar estos signos precoces serán centinelas “de punta”, detectando con prontitud la aparición de la primera mancha en el niño. El trabajo muestra los resultados de detección de nuevos casos entre los niños de una escuela primaria de un barrio periférico de Cuiaba-Mato Grosso (Brasil) realizada por los propios profesores tras un breve entrenamiento por parte del equipo de atención primaria del barrio (AU)

Leprosy is still a public health problem in several countries in the World including Brazil. Although during the last 10 years there have been important advances in the field of treatment there is still no diagnostic test for early detection or an effective vaccine for primary prevention, so we have to depend entirely on early treatment to prevent possible patient incapacities. On the other hand, the high prevalence of leprosy exists together with social and health needs, so that the patient remains at the early stage of disease (mainly children) able to access the public health services. This is why the teachers at the primary school level have such an important role in early detection since they are in constant contact with the school children carrying on an important double mission: on one hand multiplying health, teaching the children the signs and symptoms of the disease and changing the negative social attitudes towards the affected individuals. So, thee teachers are “first level” guards detecting the first signs of disease. This study presents the results on early case detection in children form the primary school in the neighborhood of Cuiabá-Mato Grosso (Brazil) carried put by the teachers after attending a short training course by the local primary health care team (AU)

Conocimientos de la población sobre lepra / Knowledge of the population about leprosy

Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo de tipo transversal para investigar el nivel de conocimientos, que sobre la lepra, tiene la población en el municipio de Limonar, durante el período de Marzo a Diciembre de 2002. Participaron en el estudio 395 pacientes mayores de 15 años, que fueron seleccionados de la población del municipio mediante un diseño multietápico que incluyó la estratificación y el conglomerado. Los datos fueron procesados en el sistema estadístico SPSS-10. Se utilizaron técnicas estadísticas como el Chi cuadrado para explorar la asociación significativa entre variables. Se obtuvo como resultado que existe desconocimiento por parte de la población acerca de la enfermedad, ya que solamente el 17,97 por ciento de la población mostró conocimientos adecuados, y se encontró relación significativa entre este, el sexo femenino y la escolaridad. Sobre la base de los resultados se recomiendan las audiencias diana para una efectiva intervención educativa en la Atención Primaria de Salud en este municipio.

Conocimientos de la población sobre lepra / Knowledge of the population about leprosy

Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo de tipo transversal para investigar el nivel de conocimientos, que sobre la lepra, tiene la población en el municipio de Limonar, durante el período de Marzo a Diciembre de 2002. Participaron en el estudio 395 pacientes mayores de 15 años, que fueron seleccionados de la población del municipio mediante un diseño multietápico que incluyó la estratificación y el conglomerado. Los datos fueron procesados en el sistema estadístico SPSS-10. Se utilizaron técnicas estadísticas como el Chi cuadrado para explorar la asociación significativa entre variables. Se obtuvo como resultado que existe desconocimiento por parte de la población acerca de la enfermedad, ya que solamente el 17,97 por ciento de la población mostró conocimientos adecuados, y se encontró relación significativa entre este, el sexo femenino y la escolaridad. Sobre la base de los resultados se recomiendan las audiencias diana para una efectiva intervención educativa en la Atención Primaria de Salud en este municipio(AU)

Reação hansênica em usuários de unidades básicas de saúde de uma área de planejamento do município do Rio de Janeiro / Leprosy reaction in the Rio de Janeiro municipality

A reação hansênica é um dos maiores problemas do programa de controle da hanseníase. Alguns usuários, mesmo após o término do tratamento, retornam à unidade de saúde com reações, caracterizadas por processo inflamatório, dor de moderada a grande intensidade, mal-estar e, algumas vezes, piora do grau de incapacidade. Não se conhece a magnitude da reação hansênica no município do Rio de Janeiro, dificultando o planejamento de seu efetivo controle pelo programa da hanseníase. Este estudo identificou a freqüência dos estados reacionais de usuários que fizeram o tratamento para hanseníase, no período de 1991 a 2004 nas unidades básicas da Área de Planejamento 3.2 do Município do Rio de Janeiro, e caracterizou os fatores sócios-demográficos e clínicos associados à ocorrência de episódios reacionais. Trata-se de estudo tipo coorte não concorrente, em que se utilizou como fonte de dados os prontuários de 667 usuários. Dos usuários avaliados, 43,5 por cento (290) apresentaram reações no período avaliado e desses 61,4 por cento (178) tiveram alguma complicação. Cerca de 14 por cento (24) dos que apresentaram complicações pioraram o grau de incapacidade. Identificou-se ainda 14,8 por cento usuários com seqüelas e 23,6 por cento com licenças médicas em função das complicações. Os homens apresentaram mais freqüentemente reações do que as mulheres (respectivamente, 49,4 por cento e 38,1 por cento; p=0,0034)...

Clinical course of erythema nodosum leprosum: an 11-year cohort study in Hyderabad, India.

Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) or type 2 lepra reactions complicate lepromatous leprosy and borderline lepromatous leprosy. We report an 11-year retrospective case record analysis of 481 outpatients with borderline lepromatous and lepromatous leprosy at the Dhoolpet Leprosy Research Center in Hyderabad, India.. The overall prevalence of ENL was 24%, 49.4% among cases of lepromatous leprosy (LL) and 9% among cases of borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy. Logistic regression analysis identified LL (odds ratio [OR] = 8.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.6-15.4, P < 0.001) and BL with a bacterial index > or = 4+ (OR = 5.2, 95% CI = 2.1-12.9, P = 0.001) as major risk factors. The average patient with ENL was male, 34.7 years of age, and had multiple episodes of ENL (mean = 3.1) over an 18.5-month period. Three types of ENL were identified: single acute ENL, multiple acute ENL (repeated discrete episodes), and chronic ENL (continuous episodes). Acute single ENL is rare, accounting for only 8% of cases. Chronic ENL accounted for 62.5% of the cohort. Chronic ENL was of longer duration and more severe. An age > or = 35 years was a risk factor for developing chronic ENL. Patients with chronic ENL were more compliant with multi-drug therapy, especially during the first six doses of multi-drug therapy. Distinguishing these different types of ENL would be useful for patient management and developing improved treatment of these debilitating reactions. Improved strategies for treatment and management of these reactions need to be developed.

Treatment of leprosy: science or politics?

OBJECTIVE: To review the history of the treatment of leprosy and leprosy reactions after World War II. METHODS: Treatments based on experience and clinical evidence are compared with those advised by the WHO in their quest to eliminate leprosy by the year 2000, later extended to 2005. RESULTS: Leprosy is not eliminated. Analyses of data on reaction treatment suggest that the treatment regimens for leprosy reactions as advised by the WHO may lead to more impairment among leprosy patients than the 'old' established regimes. CONCLUSION: WHO policies to eliminate leprosy may have jeopardized the proper treatment of leprosy for years to come.

La Lepra en agua de Dios 1999-2003 / Leprosy in Agua de Dios, 1999-2003

Agua de Dios es un municipio de 13.500 habitantes, situado a dos horas de Bogotá por carro, que nació en 1870 como lugar de recusión obligatoria para los enfermos de lepra, disposición abolida en 1961. En el municipio residen personal del Programa de Lepra del Sanatorio. Analizamos la incidencia y las recidivas de la lepra en el municipio, estudiamos los convivientes de los caso nuevos y comentamos la manera de lograr una mejor adherencia a la poliquimioterapia antileprosa (1999-2003). Mediante la revisión de las historia clínicas, de los registros estadísticos del Sanatorio, los exámenes clínicos de los pacientes, la baciloscopia, la biopsia de piel y la entrevista personal o de grupo para discutir las inquietudes de los enfermos, se demostraron 34 casos nuevos de lepra, 68% multibacilares, para una incidencia entre 1,46 y 6,8 por 10.000 habitantes; se detectaron 38 recidivas en pacientes con lepra lepromatosa, tratados por varios años con monoterapia con DDS o con poliquimioterapia irregular; cuatro pacientes presentaron recidiva luego de recibir terapia con supervisión estricta. La prevalencia varió entre 23 y 39 enfermos por 10.000 habitantes, la más alta del país. Cuando se examinó el 96% de los convivientes, se encontraron dos casos nuevos de lepra. El diálogo con los enfermos mejoró la adhesión a la terapia que es ahora del 97%. La lepra en Agua de Dios requiere personal competente en temas clínicos epidemiológicos, de biología molecular (resistencia a las drogas, recidivas) y psicosociales: comunicación del personal de salud con el paciente

Agua de Dios is a Town with 13,500 inhabitants, located two hours away by car from Bogotá. It was founded in 1870 as a place to lock away leprosy patients, a law abolished in 1961. About 1,100 patients, most of them with sequelae due to leprosy, and their families, inhabit the town; they receive medical attention from sanitary personnel of the local Leprosy Sanatorium. We analyzed the occurrence of new leprosy cases (1999-2003), study their household contacts, and the relapses among the 1,100 patients, and comment on the way to achieve a better compliance to the antileprosy multidrug therapy (MDT). Through clinical record revision and the Statistical Archives of the Sanatorium, patient physical exams, baciloscopy, skin biopsies and personnel or groups interviews to discuss patient´s doubts or complaints, we demonstrate 34 new leprosy cases in the period of study, 68% of which were multibacillary (incidence between, 1.46 and 6.8 per 10,000); 38 relapses have been detected in lepromatous patients, treated by years with monotherapy with DDS and with irregular and usually non-supervised MDT. However, four MB patients had relapses after strictly supervised MDT. Prevalence varied between 23 and 29 per 10,000 the highest in our country. When 96% of contacts were examined, two new cases of leprosy were found. Dialogue with the patients considerably improved MDT adherence, which reached the present status of 97% Leprosy in Agua de Dios requires the presence of expert personnel in clinical, epidemiological, molecular biology (resistance of Mycobacterium leprae to drugs, relapses), and psychosocial aspects: proper communication of health personnel with patients

Relapses in multibacillary patients treated with multi-drug therapy until smear negativity: findings after twenty years.

The Schieffelin Leprosy Research and Training Center at Karigiri, India participated in several of the World Health Organization (WHO) trials. The first trial on combined therapy in multi-bacillary leprosy was initiated in 1981. The main objectives of this field trial were to evaluate the efficacy of WHO recommended regimens in preventing relapses, especially drug resistance relapses. This paper reports on the relapses twenty years after patients were inducted into the WHO field trial. Between 1981 and 1982, 1067 borderline lepromatous and lepromatous patients were inducted into the WHO field trial for combined therapy in multi-bacillary leprosy trial. Among them, 357 patients were skin smear positive. During the follow-up in 2002, only 173 of them could be traced and assessed. The mean duration of follow-up was 16.4 +/- 1.83 years. Two patients relapsed 14 and 15 years after being released from treatment, the relapse rate being 0.07 per 100 person years follow-up. Drug susceptibility tests done on one of the relapsed patients revealed drug sensitive organisms to all multi-drug therapy drugs.

Analysis of 6000 skin biopsies of the national leprosy control program in Mexico.

Six thousand skin biopsy specimens taken from April 1978 to January 2002 under conditions as specified by the National Leprosy Control Program (NLCP), were analyzed to obtain information about the work of the program and contribute to the knowledge of this illness in the Mexico. Six-thousand request forms for histologic exam of the NLCP were reviewed. Sixty-two percent of the requests had all the required information and in 38% one or more data items were omitted. The age range was 2 to 98 yrs with a median of 50 yrs; a small number of cases was observed in the age group of 0 to 14 yrs, and the peak was in the age group of 41 to 50 yrs. Of the 6000 biopsies, 3693 were classified. Polar lepromatous (LL) was the most common form of the disease, in 60.3% of cases. Twice as many cases were multibacillary leprosy (MB) as paucibacillary (PB). MB predominated in males, and PB predominated in females. The Cohen's kappa index (kappa) of clinical-histological agreement was 0.202 (95% CI 0.184-0.219) and showed a poor grade of agreement between clinical and histologic diagnosis, with a level of significance of 0.05 (p <0.001). The results may indicate the end of leprosy in Mexico, a country in which the national goal of elimination was reached in 1994, with a prevalence since the year 2000 of 0.17/10 000.