01710nas a2200193   4500000000100000008004100001100001800042700001300060700001300073700001700086700001200103700001000115700002000125245011700145856007700262300001200339490000700351520115800358       2019                            d1 aThyvalappil A1 aPretty M1 aAnumod B1 aAjayakumar S1 aRajiv S1 aJoy B1 aRadhakrishnan K00aCurrent Trends of Leprosy in a Tertiary Care Centre in North Kerala: A 10 Year Observational Retrospective Study  uhttp://www.ijl.org.in/2019/2%20A%20Thyvalappil%20(175-177)%202%20(1).pdf  a175-1830 v913 aAfter the declaration of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem, leprosy services in India have been integrated with General Health-Care System, possibly resulting in readuced focus. This study was conducted to analyze the trends in the disease over a 10-year period in a tertiary care hospital in North Kerala in post elimination era. Of the 133 Hansen’s disease (HD) cases, HD-BT (borderline tuberculoid) was the most common type, followed by, HD-LL (lepromatous lepromatous). Leprosy reactions were seen in 37.59% cases, and deformities were noticed in 19 (13.53%) cases, of which 13 (66.67%) had grade 2 disability. While analyzing slit skin smear results, 25.56% were AFB (Acid Fast Bacilli) positive. On histopathological evaluation of 129 biopsied cases, 115 (89.13%) cases were consistent with clinical diagnosis. The presence of a significant number of smear-positive cases in a post elimination era, particularly lepromatous spectrum, is a matter of
serious concern. Community based studies will be necessary to understand the reality at population level and for devising appropriate strategy to break the chain in transmission.