01809nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001900055653002500074653002600099653001100125653001200136653001300148653002800161653001700189100001600206700001200222245010400234856005900338300000900397490000700406050003200413520108400445022001401529       1994                            d  c1994 Mar10aCohort Studies10aDeveloping countries10aDisability Evaluation10aHumans10aleprosy10aNeuritis10aPsychomotor Performance10aRisk Factors1 aLienhardt C1 aFine PE00aType 1 reaction, neuritis and disability in leprosy. What is the current epidemiological situation?  uhttp://leprev.ilsl.br/pdfs/1994/v65n1/pdf/v65n1a02.pdf  a9-330 v65  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>Type 1 reaction is one of the major causes of nerve damage in leprosy patients leading to disabilities of varying severity. Though this complication of leprosy has been extensively described, we still know very little of its natural history and of the factors which may predispose to it. This paper examines the descriptive and analytic epidemiology of these reactions in leprosy. We find that they vary greatly in clinical expression, time of onset, duration and severity, which has important implications for the way they are handled in the context of leprosy-control programmes. We review the various risk factors that have been suggested over the last 30 years and the evidence of their utility in identifying 'high-risk' patients is assessed. We then review the specific aspects of neuritis and disability in leprosy and examine the contribution of Type 1 reaction to leprosy-associated disabilities. The prospects for early detection and prevention of Type 1 reaction are examined in the light of current knowledge, both at research and at the leprosy control level.</p>  a0305-7518