Evidence of hidden leprosy in a supposedly low endemic area of Brazil
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 112(12): 822-828, Dec. 2017. tab, graf
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: biblio-894859
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES Show that hidden endemic leprosy exists in a municipality of inner São Paulo state (Brazil) with active surveillance actions based on clinical and immunological evaluations. METHODS The study sample was composed by people randomly selected by a dermatologist during medical care in the public emergency department and by active surveillance carried out during two days at a mobile clinic. All subjects received a dermato-neurological examination and blood sampling to determine anti-PGL-I antibody titers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS From July to December 2015, 24 new cases of leprosy were diagnosed; all were classified as multibacillary (MB) leprosy, one with severe Lucio's phenomenon. Seventeen (75%) were found with grade-1 or 2 disability at the moment of diagnosis. Anti-PGL-I titer was positive in 31/133 (23.3%) individuals, only 6/24 (25%) were positive in newly diagnosed leprosy cases. CONCLUSIONS During the last ten years before this study, the average new case detection rate (NCDR) in this town was 2.62/100,000 population. After our work, the NCDR was raised to 42.8/100,000. These results indicate a very high number of hidden leprosy cases in this supposedly low endemic area of Brazil.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Health context:
Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas
/
SDG3 - Health and Well-Being
/
Neglected Diseases
Health problem:
Goal 7: Evidence and knowledge in health
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Target 3.3: End transmission of communicable diseases
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Leprosy
/
Neglected Diseases
Database:
LILACS
Main subject:
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Leprosy
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Antibodies, Bacterial
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Mycobacterium leprae
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
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Prognostic study
/
Screening study
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
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Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
Tropical Medicine
/
Parasitology
Year:
2017
Document type:
Article
/
Project document
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidade de São Paulo/BR