01743nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653003300055653002000088653002600108653002600134653002600160653002600186653002600212653001100238653002300249653001200272653001100284653002900295100001700324700001400341245002300355300000900378490000700387050001900394520101400413022001401427       2006                            d  c2006 Feb10aCommunicable Disease Control10aDrug Resistance10aHistory, 16th Century10aHistory, 17th Century10aHistory, 18th Century10aHistory, 19th Century10aHistory, 20th Century10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMexico10aNational Health Programs1 aLopez Roa RI1 aMorris MF00aLeprosy in Mexico.  a51-80 v75  aLOPEZROA 2006a3 a<p>The time of the settlement of leprosy in Mexico is uncertain, however recent studies pointed out that leprosy was probably brought by Asian's migration at about 12,000 years ago and not by the Europeans conquerors during XVI and XVII centuries. Registration of leprosy has been done since the colonial era and the disease was considered as a public health problem until the year 2004 in Mexico when the incidence was achieved to be less than 1 per 10,000 as defined by the world health organization (WHO). Although the national epidemiological parameters like prevalence show the leprosy are controlled well, there are still 49 prefectures with higher prevalence in Mexico. In addition, the incidence in last 10 years has not been stably reduced, in other words the infection cycle has not been interrupted. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the careful epidemiological monitoring, and to increase the search and follow-up of new cases and their contacts in order to eliminate leprosy in this country.</p>  a1342-3681