Multi-drug therapy (MDT) and Leprosy Elimination Campaigns (LEC) are the major strategies for eliminating leprosy. We report the results of a LEC conducted in 2006 in Qazvin. A total of 1987 individuals (1379 household contacts of 319 registered leprosy patients and 608 people from 3 endemic villages with a high prevalence of leprosy) were examined for detection of new cases of leprosy. All new cases were given MDT and were reviewed after a year. There were 256 suspected cases of leprosy, 13 of whom were confirmed as new cases (7 were classified as multibacillary leprosy). None had visible deformity nor was < 20 years old. All patients completed the recommended MDT course. The few cases detected suggest that in low prevalence areas, a long-term approach of integrated leprosy services and disability management may be more appropriate than LEC as a leprosy elimination strategy.
BT - Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22355944?dopt=Abstract C2 - Egypt CY - Cairo DA - 2011 Dec IS - 12 J2 - East. Mediterr. Health J. LA - eng N2 -Multi-drug therapy (MDT) and Leprosy Elimination Campaigns (LEC) are the major strategies for eliminating leprosy. We report the results of a LEC conducted in 2006 in Qazvin. A total of 1987 individuals (1379 household contacts of 319 registered leprosy patients and 608 people from 3 endemic villages with a high prevalence of leprosy) were examined for detection of new cases of leprosy. All new cases were given MDT and were reviewed after a year. There were 256 suspected cases of leprosy, 13 of whom were confirmed as new cases (7 were classified as multibacillary leprosy). None had visible deformity nor was < 20 years old. All patients completed the recommended MDT course. The few cases detected suggest that in low prevalence areas, a long-term approach of integrated leprosy services and disability management may be more appropriate than LEC as a leprosy elimination strategy.
PB - Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization PP - Cairo PY - 2011 SP - 920 EP - 4 T2 - Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit TI - Leprosy elimination campaign in Qazvin province, Islamic Republic of Iran (2006-07). VL - 17 SN - 1020-3397 ER -