TY - JOUR
AU - Thyvalappil A
AU - Pretty M
AU - Anumod B
AU - Ajayakumar S
AU - Rajiv S
AU - Joy B
AU - Radhakrishnan K
AB - After 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. 
BT - Indian journal of leprosy
IS - 3
LA - eng
N2 - After 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. 
PY - 2019
SP - 175
EP - 183
T2 - Indian journal of leprosy
TI - Current Trends of Leprosy in a Tertiary Care Centre in North Kerala: A 10 Year Observational Retrospective Study
UR - http://www.ijl.org.in/2019/2%20A%20Thyvalappil%20(175-177)%202%20(1).pdf
VL - 91
ER -