Leprosy: Current status in a Tertiary Care Hospital after 65 Years of Different National Leprosy Control Programs in India

Many infectious diseases are prevalent in India, but after the emergence of HIV/AIDS, the due importance has not been given to leprosy and hence neglected by medical researchers’ and government bodies. Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in India. On the occasion of World first Neglected Tropical Disease Day i.e. January 30, 2020 this motivated us to study status of leprosy in our institute retrospectively. To diagnose leprosy by slit skin smears (SSS) examination and profiling of leprosy patients in a tertiary care hospital. Total 446 slit skin smears were examined from Jan 2015 to Dec 2019for leprosy diagnosis by following standard microbiological methods. Among all clinically suspected patients 75.8% were IPD patients. Among all clinically suspected leprosy patients 10.9 % were positive by Slit Skin Smear (SSS) examination. SSS positive leprosy patients were more during year 2017. There was male predominance (67.3%) among all SSS positive leprosy patients. Total 59% SSS positive leprosy patients were from urban area. Leprosy is still prevalent in India after 65 years of different national leprosy control programs. It is the need of hour for medical fraternity to screen patients actively for leprosy. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to reduce the prevalence, so high index of suspicion is required. Each and every infectious disease has its own impact on community health so all infectious diseases to be given equal importance for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention by medical researchers and government bodies. These approaches will reduce the burden of leprosy as a Neglected Tropical Disease in India.