Analysis of the clinical and epidemiological profile of leprosy in Brazil and Major Regions

Background

Leprosy is an infectious disease, endemic to Brazil, associated with poor living conditions. Although curable, it is a neglected disease, posing a serious public health problem. The literature lacks comprehensive and recent analyses of the pathology.

Objectives

The study aims to describe and analyze the clinical-epidemiological profile of leprosy patients in large Brazilian regions and compare it with regional sociodemographic indicators.

Methods

This is an ecological, descriptive, and analytical observational study, carried out through the collection of secondary data from the Disease Notification Information System from 2014 to 2019, the 2010 census, and population estimates from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.

Results

A total of 215,155 new cases were reported and the annual detection rate was maintained in four Brazilian regions, with only the South showing a significant decrease. The highest rate was observed in the Midwest and the lowest in the South. The predominant profile was male, age range between 60 and 79 years old, literate, and black and brown ethnicity. There was a predominance of the borderline cases, multibacillary form, more than five skin lesions, and zero grade of disability at diagnosis. Bacilloscopy was not performed in 42.8% of the cases and cure was the outcome in 77%.

Study limitations

The use of secondary data and the time interval analyzed are restricted by the data source platform and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions

This shows a perpetuated public health problem, mainly in the North, Northeast, and Midwest regions, associated with socioeconomic indicators and has a clinical-epidemiological profile that favors the bacillus transmission.