Leprosy bacilloscopy notifications in the Brazilian Unified Health System and COVID-19 pandemic: an ecological investigation

Objective: to evaluate leprosy bacilloscopy exam notifications in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) from April 2018 to March 2022. 

Methods: an ecological study was carried out using open-access data from the SUS. 

Results: the temporal tendency of leprosy bacilloscopy was considered significantly decrease over time (p <0.05), as well as there was a significant decrease in the first and second pandemic years when compared to the control interval in all Brazilian regions (p <0.05). 

Conclusion: leprosy bacilloscopy exams remain negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the SUS.