01384nas a2200229   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001100059653001200070653001600082653001100098653001500109653000900124100001900133700001500152245005200167300001000219490000700229050003200236520087200268022001401140       1995                            d  c1995 Jan-Mar10aHumans10aleprosy10aLife Tables10aMalawi10aRecurrence10aRisk1 aPonnighaus J M1 aSterne J A00aEpidemiological aspects of relapses in leprosy.  a35-440 v67  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>Life table methods in which the cumulative probability of relapse in successive periods is calculated are preferable to the presentation of overall relapse rates. Their use facilitates the comparison of relapse rates and trends from different studies independent of duration of follow-up. Results from various studies including data from Malawi indicate that, (1) unlike after dapsone monotherapy, the cumulative probability of relapse in multibacillary patients is near to zero after WHO/MDT if strict definitions of relapse are used and, (2) the cumulative probability of relapse may approach 5% in paucibacillary patients 10 years after completion of WHO/MDT. On the whole, the epidemiological relevance of relapses is insignificant and future treatment regimens should be evaluated concerning their efficacy in preventing disabilities rather than relapses.</p>  a0254-9395