Comparison of the Epidemiological Study on Leprosy in Korea and in Iran.

The registered number of leprosy patient in Korea is 34,064 in May 31, 1973, but many leprosy cases are not detected yet. There is no doubt that the crucial purpose of The leprosy control propram is to find the hidden or unknown cases at their very early stage of the disease and to keep them under regular treatrnent. It is certain tnat the best method to detect all leprosy cases should be the "Mass Survey" exploring all residents in the project area, however, it is impossible to carry out in all villages of the area. At this time being, the most effective method of new case detection is considered to be the "Intensive Village Survey", of which idea is like a fire brigade excercise. To obtain an advanced and correct information for the intensive village survey, all villages in 6 provinces in which the leprosy conntrol program is carrying out are analysed by prevalence rate, lepromatous rate and the positivity (positive patient) rate, and devided into two groups, i.e, higher prevalence rate area(over 3%) and lower prevalence rate area (under 3%). As the first step of the project, the intensive village survey is recommended in this country with a limitted feasibility of personnel, facilities and finance. If the total survey exploring all residents in village to detect new cases is done, the follow-up total survey is not necessary in the same area. Intensive village survey mainly by house hold contact and neighbors examination would be the most effective method for new case finding and controling the aleady registered cases.