01899nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653000900055653002200064653001100086653001100097653001000108653001900118653001200137653002400149653000900173653001600182653001500198653001700213100001100230700001300241700001500254700001500269245015300284300000900437490000700446520111800453022001401571       1993                            d  c1993 Mar10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aFemale10aHumans10aJapan10aLeper Colonies10aleprosy10aLeprosy, Borderline10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aRecurrence10aTime Factors1 aGoto M1 aSuzuki M1 aKitajima S1 aImaizumi M00a[Changes and present status of a Japanese National Leprosarium--analysis of smear positive rate and relapse in Hoshizuka-Keiaien between 1972-1991].  a1-120 v623 a<p>Change of clinical features of leprosy in a Japanese National Leprosarium Hoshizuka-Keiaien during 20 years (1972-91) was studied by analyzing clinical records. (1) Skin slit smear positive rate among lepromatous and borderline cases once increased from 16.3% (1972) to 28.8% (1981) and then declined to 3% (1991). (2) Relapse was 4.25 cases per annum among 817 patients (0.52% per annum). Relapse of lepromatous leprosy (0.42% per annum) is decreasing, and borderline or neuritic relapse (0.12% per annum) of previously lepromatous cases is the major feature in recent years. (3) In lepromatous relapse cases, it took 3.5 years in average to become smear negative again, but this duration is shortening in recently relapsed cases. (4) Number of erythema nodosum leprosum is remarkably decreased, but iridocyclitis is still observed. (5) 85% of inpatients in 1991 are classified as clinical cure (Japanese criteria 1989). By the advance of chemotherapy and aging of the inpatients (average age: 68 years), geriatric diseases, instead of leprosy, are becoming major problems in Japanese National Leprosaria.</p>  a0386-3980