Profile of Person Affected by Leprosy with Clinical Relapse among in High Endemic State of India

Objective: Relapse is not an unusual phenomenon in leprosy, there are many predisposing factors which may lead to occurrence of relapse; some of these include the presence of persistent bacilli, drug monotherapy, inadequate or irregular therapy. Patients usually presents with presence of multiple skin lesions and/or thickened nerves, reason for early relapse is probably bacillary persistence due to inadequate treatment and for late relapse due to or re-infection. The objectives of this study are to assess various clinico-epidemiological factors associated with the occurrence of relapses in leprosy patients.

Methods: A hospital record based retrospective follow-up study has been performed and 117 relapse cases of leprosy were included. Leprosy relapse cases presented in the study hospital were interviewed using a predesigned and pretested preformed. Each patient was subjected to clinical, bacteriological and disability assessments for diagnosis of relapse and followed until the completion of multi drug therapy.

Results: During a study period, relapse was seen more in male as compared to female. The duration between cessation of treatment and re-appearance of new lesions varied from 1 to 33 years. Disability proportion was high among MB patients.

Conclusion: Relapse in leprosy should be thoroughly examined and looked for drug resistance.