Current trends in leprosy- a retrospective study from a tertiary care centre in Kerala

BACKGROUND Leprosy has been officially eliminated from India since December 2005. But even now high prevalence of the disease is being reported from different parts of the country. Present study was done to determine the clinico-epidemiological pattern of leprosy in our institute. MATERIALS AND METHODS Records of all patients diagnosed to have leprosy in a tertiary care hospital, Kerala, during 2012-2016 were analysed. RESULTS 68 patients were diagnosed to have leprosy during the study period. M: F ratio was 1.7:1. Multibacillary leprosy was reported in 66% patients. 75% cases were borderline tuberculoid. WHO grade 2 deformities were documented in 29% patients. 4% of new leprosy cases occurred in children. CONCLUSION Though the number of new leprosy patients is decreasing since 2012 with lesser reports of disability and childhood cases, more active elimination strategy is needed to tackle this chronic disabling disease.