Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of new leprosy cases in Northeastern Brazil, 2020.

This study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the detection of new cases of leprosy in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The periods January-September 2019 and January-September 2020 were compared. There was a 44.40% reduction in the diagnosis of leprosy when comparing the two periods (1,705 in 2019 and 948 in 2020). There was a reduction in the number of municipalities with reported cases: 251 municipalities in 2019 and 202 in 2020, expressing a reduction of 24.25%. Considering only the months following the arrival of the virus (April-September), the reduction was 51.10%. An inverse correlation was observed between the number of new cases of leprosy and the cumulative number of cases of COVID-19 (Spearman's correlation coefficient = -0.840; P < 0.001) and the number of new monthly cases of COVID-19 (Spearman's correlation coefficient = -0.817; P < 0.001). A slight increase was also observed in the proportion of multibacillary cases in the state (70.38% in 2019 and 72.69% in 2020) as well as in the proportion of individuals with the degree of physical disability not assessed at diagnosis, whose proportion rose from 16.39% in 2019 to 22.53% in 2020. The negative impact of COVID-19 in tackling leprosy should be seen as a warning sign for health and political authorities.

Epidemiological, neurofunctional profile and prevalence of factors associated with the occurrence of physical disabilities due to leprosy in a reference center in Northeast Brasil: a sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological and neurofunctional profile, as well as the prevalence of factors associated with the occurrence of physical disabilities due to leprosy in a reference center in Northeast Brasil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study including 50 leprosy patients diagnosed in Juazeiro-Bahia. Variables analyzed: sex, age, history of leprosy in the family, time to diagnosis, clinical form, operational classification, degree of disability, eyes-hand-foot score, peripheral nerve function, muscle strength and sensitivity. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (χ² test or Fisher's exact, Poisson regression with robust estimation and prevalence reason were used. Significance of 5%). RESULTS: An equal distribution was found between men and women of economically active age and low education; multibacillary forms in men (64%) and paucibacillary forms in women (60%). 78% of individuals had some degree of disability and 64% had a compromised ulnar nerve. Plantar sensitivity was decreased in 66% of patients. The predictors of disability were: age ≥45 years (PR 1.44; p=0.005), no education (PR 1.21; p=0.013) and OMP score ≥6 (PR 1.29; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings show the importance of monitoring neural functions and developing measures that allow early diagnosis, the opportune method and the prevention of disabilities, especially in the male population.

Epidemiological, neurofunctional profile and prevalence of factors associated with the occurrence of physical disabilities due to leprosy in a reference center in Northeast Brasil: a sectional study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological and neurofunctional profile, as well as the prevalence of factors associated with the occurrence of physical disabilities due to leprosy in a reference center in Northeast Brasil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study including 50 leprosy patients diagnosed in Juazeiro-Bahia. Variables analyzed: sex, age, history of leprosy in the family, time to diagnosis, clinical form, operational classification, degree of disability, eyes-hand-foot score, peripheral nerve function, muscle strength and sensitivity. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (χ² test or Fisher's exact, Poisson regression with robust estimation and prevalence reason were used. Significance of 5%). RESULTS: An equal distribution was found between men and women of economically active age and low education; multibacillary forms in men (64%) and paucibacillary forms in women (60%). 78% of individuals had some degree of disability and 64% had a compromised ulnar nerve. Plantar sensitivity was decreased in 66% of patients. The predictors of disability were: age ≥45 years (PR 1.44; p=0.005), no education (PR 1.21; p=0.013) and OMP score ≥6 (PR 1.29; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings show the importance of monitoring neural functions and developing measures that allow early diagnosis, the opportune method and the prevention of disabilities, especially in the male population.

Leprosy in the elderly population of an endemic state in the Brazilian Northeast (2001-2017): epidemiological scenario

Abstract This ecological study aims to analyze both the tendency and the characteristics of leprosy in the elderly population in the state of Bahia, 2001-2017. The tendency was analyzed through joinpoint regression. Epidemiological variables were also included in the study. The average detection rate was 38.73/100,000, with prevalence of men (45.19/100,000). A downward trend occurred in both genders, from 2004, with a greater magnitude in women (annual percent change [APC] = −3.4%). Men presented higher proportions of the multibacillary forms and physical disabilities. The epidemiological scenario indicates the need of implementation of actions that stimulate early diagnosis and treatment of the elderly population.

Leprosy in the elderly population of an endemic state in the Brazilian Northeast (2001-2017): epidemiological scenario.

This ecological study aims to analyze both the tendency and the characteristics of leprosy in the elderly population in the state of Bahia, 2001-2017. The tendency was analyzed through joinpoint regression. Epidemiological variables were also included in the study. The average detection rate was 38.73/100,000, with prevalence of men (45.19/100,000). A downward trend occurred in both genders, from 2004, with a greater magnitude in women (annual percent change [APC]=-3.4%). Men presented higher proportions of the multibacillary forms and physical disabilities. The epidemiological scenario indicates the need of implementation of actions that stimulate early diagnosis and treatment of the elderly population.

Characterization of leprosy in children under 15 years inan important municipality of north-eastern Brazil / Caracterização da hanseníase em menores de 15 anos em município prioritário do nordeste brasileiro

The presence of leprosy in children younger than 15 years is a strong indicator of the maintenance of the epidemiologicalchain of transmission and evidences of the early exposure. This study aims to identify the family, clinical andepidemiological characteristics of individuals younger than 15 years who were diagnosed with leprosy in the city ofJuazeiro-BA. This is an observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study. The study population consisted of all casesof leprosy diagnosed in children under 15 between 2012 and 2014, in the city of Juazeiro-BA. The ComplementaryProtocol for the Diagnostic Investigation of Cases of Leprosy in Children Under 15 (PCID <15) was used as the datasource. The protocol was completed at the time of diagnosis at the Leprosy Reference Centre of the municipality understudy. This document is part of the medical records of the patients being treated, and is filed in the outpatient clinic. Afterthe data collection, the data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 20. Adoption of significance was 95%. 42cases were diagnosed in the age group studied, and the mean annual detection coefficient was 24.85 cases / 100,000individuals in this age group. Of the total, 66.7% were female. The mean age of the girls was lower than the mean ageof the boys, with a significant difference between the genders (p = 0.021). The anamnesis showed that in 33.3% of thecases, the first diagnosis was wrong and leprosy was treated as other diseases. It is also noted that 54.8% of patientshad a family history of leprosy. The tuberculoid form and paucibacillary operational classification stood out (88.0% and90.5%, respectively). The study showed that PCID <15 years is an important instrument capable of identifying problemsin the quality of leprosy services, such as the fragility in the diagnosis of the disease in the population under 15 years

A presença da hanseníase em menores de 15 anos é um forte indicador da manutenção da cadeia epidemiológica detransmissão, além de evidenciar a exposição precoce. Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar as característicasfamiliares, clínicas e epidemiológicas dos indivíduos menores de 15 anos diagnosticados com hanseníase no municípiode Juazeiro/BA. Trata-se de um estudo observacional, transversal e descritivo. A população do estudo foi composta portodos os casos de hanseníase diagnosticados em menores de 15 anos entre 2012 e 2014, no município de Juazeiro/BA.Como fonte de dados foi utilizado o Protocolo Complementar de Investigação Diagnóstica de Casos de Hanseníaseem menores de 15 anos– PCID<15 anos, preenchidos no momento do diagnóstico no Centro de Referência emHanseníase do município estudado. Este documento é parte do prontuário dos pacientes atendidos e arquivadosno referido ambulatório. Após a coleta, os dados foram analisados utilizando o software SPSS, versão 20. Adotousignificância de 95%. Foram diagnosticados 42 casos na faixa etária estudada, sendo o coeficiente de detecção médioanual de 24,85 casos/ 100 mil indivíduos nessa faixa etária. Desse total, 66,7% eram do sexo feminino. A média deidade das meninas foi inferior à média de idade dos meninos, com diferença significativa entre os gêneros (p=0,021). Aanamnese mostrou que em 33,3% dos casos houve um primeiro diagnóstico errado, sendo a hanseníase tratada comooutras doenças. Chama atenção também que 54,8% dos pacientes tinham histórico de hanseníase na família. A formatuberculóide e a classificação operacional Paucibacilar destacaram-se (88,0% e 90,5%, respectivamente). O estudomostrou que o PCID<15 anos é um importante instrumento capaz de identificar problemas na qualidade dos serviçosde hanseníase, como a fragilidade no diagnóstico da doença na população menor de 15 anos

Grau de incapacidade física na população idosa afetada pela hanseníase no estado da Bahia, Brasil / Physical disability degree in the elderly population affected by leprosy in the state of Bahia, Brazil

Objetivo: Analisar o grau de incapacidade física na população idosa afetada pela hanseníase no estado da Bahia, entre 2001 e 2012. Métodos: Os dados referentes aos casos de hanseníase foram obtidos do Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação. Variáveis analisadas: sexo, faixa etária, raça/cor, escolaridade, classificação clínica e operacional, grau de incapacidade física no diagnóstico e na alta. Foram calculados indicadores epidemiológicos relacionados à incapacidade física. Resultados: A hanseníase apresenta elevada magnitude na população idosa, com coeficiente de detecção de casos novos superior ao da população geral, situando-se em nível hiperendêmico. Quanto ao perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase em idosos, destaca-se: homens, faixa etária 60 a 69 anos, raça branca, baixa escolaridade, forma clínica dimorfa e classificação operacional multibacilar. 36,25% dos casos diagnosticados apresentavam incapacidade física no momento do diagnóstico, com destaque para o gênero masculino. Conclusão: A elevada proporção de indivíduos com incapacidades físicas no momento do diagnóstico sugere diagnóstico tardio e prevalência oculta da doença, sobretudo em indivíduos do gênero masculino

Objective: To analyze the degree of physical disability in the elderly population affected by leprosy in Bahia State, between 2001 and 2012. Methods: The data relating to cases of leprosy was obtained from National System of Notifiable Diseases. Variables analyzed gender, age, race/color, education level, clinical and operational classification, degree of physical incapacity in diagnosis and discharge. Epidemiological indicators related to physical incapacity were calculated. Results: The leprosy features high magnitude in the elderly population, with a coefficient of detection of new cases higher than the general population, situated at a hyperendemic level. As to the epidemiological profile of leprosy in elderly, stands out: men, age 60 to 69 years, white race, low education level, dimorphic clinical manifestation and multibacillary operational classification. 36.25% of diagnosed cases had a physical incapacity at the time of diagnosis, with emphasis on the masculine gender. Conclusion: The high proportion of individuals with physical incapacity at the time of diagnosis suggests late diagnosis and hidden prevalence of the disease, mostly in Individuals of the male gender