01542nas a2200145   4500000000100000008004100001100001200042700001300054700001100067700001100078245006400089856014300153490000600296520109400302       2018                            d1 aKalsy J1 aKalra RK1 aKaur D1 aKaur J00aSmear examination: an important tool in leprosy and relapse  uhttps://www.worldwidejournals.com/indian-journal-of-applied-research-(IJAR)/recent_issues_pdf/2018/October/October_2018_1538400620__31.pdf0 v83 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Since ancient times, leprosy has been regarded as a contagious, disabling and incurable disease. It is estimated to have disabled one to two million people visibly and irreversibly.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To highlight the need for smear examination in every case of suspected leprosy to prevent relapse and further transmission, and achieve complete cure.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>Retrospective analysis of an incidental finding of relapse cases from the 10 year data (April 2005 to March 2015), a study fromAmritsar district.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The relapse rate was found to be 1.95% and on further analysis, it was seen that the MB cases in which the bacterial load was high before the treatment were the ones that had relapsed.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>Diagnosing and classifying leprosy solely on the basis of skin lesions as per WHO operational classification may lead to over or under diagnosis and inadequate treatment which can further cause relapse, spread of infection and resistance.</p>