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(1) Background: The global burden of leprosy is not shared equally; with the majority of cases being diagnosed in Brazil, India, and Indonesia. Understanding the methods of active case detection (ACD) used in high and low endemic regions is vital for the development of future screening programs. (2) Methods: A systematic search of three databases, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science, was conducted for English language papers, published since the year 2000, which discussed the use of active case detection methods for leprosy screening. The paper utilised the Integrated Screening Action Model (I-SAM) as a tool for the analysis of these methods. (3) Results: 23 papers were identified from 11 different countries. The papers identified 6 different methods of active case detection: Household contact/social contact identification; door-to-door case detection; screening questionnaire distribution; rapid village surveys; school-based screening; and prison-based screening. 15 were located in high endemic regions and 8 of these were located in low endemic regions. (4) Conclusions: For selecting the appropriate methods of active case finding, the leprosy endemicity must be taken into consideration. The findings contribute to policy decision making allowing for more successful future leprosy case detection programs to be designed, ultimately reducing the global burden of the disease, and achieving the WHO's aim of zero leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presented the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations on the use of on Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine excerpted from the BCG vaccines: WHO position paper – February 2018 published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record [1] . This position paper replaces the 2004 WHO position paper on Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine [2] and the 2007 WHO revised BCG vaccination guidelines for infants at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection [3] . It incorporates recent developments in the tuberculosis (TB) field, provides revised guidance on the immunization of children infected with HIV, and re-emphasizes the importance of the birth dose. This position paper also includes recommendations for the prevention of leprosy. Footnotes to this paper provide a number of core references including references to grading tables that assess the quality of the scientific evidence, and to the evidence-to-recommendation tables. In accordance with its mandate to provide guidance to Member States on health policy matters, WHO issues a series of regularly updated position papers on vaccines and combinations of vaccines against diseases that have an international public health impact. These papers are concerned primarily with the use of vaccines in large-scale immunization programmes; they summarize essential background information on diseases and vaccines, and conclude with WHO’s current position on the use of vaccines in the global context. Recommendations on the use of cholera vaccines were discussed by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) in October 2017; evidence presented at these meetings can be accessed at: http://www.who.int/immunization/sage/meetings/2017/october/presentations_background_docs/en/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects multiple body systems and can lead to preventable disability if untreated. While multidrug therapy (MDT) has been available since 1982, historical evidence suggests that untreated leprosy can resolve spontaneously. Nevertheless, the prevalence of self-healing worldwide, as well as factors determining self-healing, remain unclear. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in 2023 with data from PubMed, Infolep, and Web of Sciences data bases, along with a google search. Data extraction and analysis followed PRISMA guidelines and were summarized in a separate Excel sheet. Included were English-language studies on self-healing in leprosy, regardless the year of publication. Results: We included six studies spanning from 1938 to 1978 exploring the incidence of self-healing in different countries and continents. Children, paucibacillary (PB) cases, and possibly males showed a higher probability of self-healing with an average healing time of two years. Discussion/Conclusion: Recent research on self-healing in leprosy is scarce and evidence limited. This is primarily due to ethical concerns regarding withholding effective treatment of diagnosed patients, and because of the absence of an agreed definition of self-healing. Nevertheless, self-healing appears to be a plausible phenomenon influenced by geographic and demographic factors, and the type of leprosy. We recommend further research on self-healing in leprosy, as it provides insight into the human immune system and the determinants of this phenomenon. More insight could help adapt clinical practices and public health strategies, thereby contributing to an effective management and control of this disease. Author summary: Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, presents significant health challenges worldwide, with the potential for avoidable disabilities if left untreated. While MDT has substantially reduced the disease burden since its introduction in 1982, historical records suggest that some cases of leprosy exhibit spontaneous resolution without medical intervention. However, the prevalence of self-healing globally and the factors influencing this phenomenon remain unclear. The review identified six studies conducted between 1938 and 1978, which examined the occurrence of self-healing in various countries. These studies revealed that children and individuals with PB leprosy demonstrated a higher likelihood of self-healing, typically within an average period of two years. Despite the limited recent evidence due to ethical considerations, self-healing appears to be a plausible phenomenon influenced by patient-specific characteristics and the type of leprosy infection. Ultimately, this paper presents a compelling case for future research on self-healing in leprosy, as it provides an interesting view on the human immune system as well as the determinants of this phenomenon. Our recommendations emphasize the necessity of such investigations to adapt clinical practices and public health strategies, thereby contributing to an effective management and control of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions on migration and leprosy in India, largely absent from historical enquiries, feature dominantly in epidemiological studies that frame the migrant with leprosy as a bacterium-carrying outsider, crossing interstate boundaries to spread infection and increase prevalence rates in urban spaces. The paper seeks to reframe the debate by analysing the migrant with leprosy not as a risk factor, but as a social identity that has historically animated public policy. By analysing leprosy policy in Delhi from 1920 to 1960, the paper explores how leprosy-affected beggars in Delhi were seen as an indolent class of outsiders burdening state finances, unworthy of adequate support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention and treatment of leprosy is a public health and social issue of global concern. China has become the first country in the world to put forward a proposal on the elimination of the harm caused by leprosy. This paper briefly introduces the status of the spread of leprosy in China, and systematically reviews the evolution of policies and measures at different stages of the disease in China, from the serious epidemic of leprosy to the control of the infection, to the basic elimination, and to the elimination of the hazards. On this basis, five main lessons learned from the control and elimination of leprosy in China were also summarized. These provide the basis for promoting the complete global elimination of leprosy and preventing its re-transmission, thereby benefiting all those who still suffer from the scourge of leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dapsone (DDS), Rifampicin (RIF) and Ofloxacin (OFL) are drugs recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of leprosy. In the context of leprosy, resistance to these drugs occurs mainly due to mutations in the target genes (Folp1, RpoB and GyrA). It is important to monitor antimicrobial resistance in patients with leprosy. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of drug resistance in Mycobacterium leprae and the mutational profile of the target genes. In this paper, we limited the study period to May 2022 and searched PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and Embase databases for identified studies. Two independent reviewers extracted the study data. Mutation and drug-resistance rates were estimated in Stata 16.0. The results demonstrated that the drug-resistance rate was 10.18% (95% CI: 7.85–12.51). Subgroup analysis showed the highest resistance rate was in the Western Pacific region (17.05%, 95% CI:1.80 to 13.78), and it was higher after 2009 than before [(11.39%, 7.46–15.33) vs. 6.59% (3.66–9.53)]. We can conclude that the rate among new cases (7.25%, 95% CI: 4.65–9.84) was lower than the relapsed (14.26%, 95 CI%: 9.82–18.71). Mutation rates of Folp1, RpoB and GyrA were 4.40% (95% CI: 3.02–5.77), 3.66% (95% CI: 2.41–4.90) and 1.28% (95% CI: 0.87–1.71) respectively, while the rate for polygenes mutation was 1.73% (0.83–2.63). For further analysis, we used 368 drug-resistant strains as research subjects and found that codons (Ser, Pro, Ala) on RpoB, Folp1 and GyrA are the most common mutation sites in the determining region (DRDR). In addition, the most common substitution patterns of Folp1, RpoB, and GyrA are Pro→Leu, Ser→Leu, and Ala→Val. This study found that a higher proportion of patients has developed resistance to these drugs, and the rate has increased since 2009, which continue to pose a challenge to clinicians. In addition, the amino acid alterations in the sequence of the DRDR regions and the substitution patterns mentioned in the study also provide new ideas for clinical treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Web of Science data for the period 1987 to 2012, the paper analyses the research carried on mycobacterial tuberculosis and leprosy in India. It is seen that India contributes eight percent to the global research output occupying the third position in terms of quantity of research output and ranks 12th when considering the quality and quantity together. Apart from collaboration pattern, the paper also identifies the major institutions, prolific authors and preferred journals. Three-dimensional performance indicator combining quantity, quality and consistency have been used to rank the productivity of Indian institutions and authors in the field of mycobacterial tuberculosis and leprosy research. From the study it can be concluded that India needs to concentrate more on Mycobacterium research because the cases of tuberculosis and leprosy including multi-drug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains are emerging each year, and there is a necessity to develop effective controlling programmes for eradicating leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease neglected, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, considered a public health problem because may cause permanent physical disabilities and deformities, leading to severe limitations. This review presents an overview of the results of epidemiological studies on leprosy occurrence in childhood in Brazil, aiming to alert health planners and managers to the actual need to institute special control strategies. Methodology/Principal findings: Data collection consisted of an electronic search for publications in eight databases: Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), PuBMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), SciVerse Scopus (Scopus), CAPES theses database, CAPES journals database and Web of Science of papers published up to 2016. After apply selection criteria, twenty-two papers of studies conducted in four different regions of Brazil and published between 2001 and 2016 were included in the review. The leprosy detection rate ranged from 10.9 to 78.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Despite affecting both sexes, leprosy was more common in boys and in 10-14-year-olds. Although the authors reported a high cure proportion (82–90%), between 1.7% and 5.5% of the individuals developed a disability resulting from the disease. Conclusions/Significance: The findings of this review shows that leprosy situation in Brazilian children under 15 years is extremely adverse in that the leprosy detection rate remains high in the majority of studies. The proportion of cases involving disability is also high and reflects the difficulties and the poor effectiveness of actions aimed at controlling the disease. The authors suggest the development of studies in spatial clusters of leprosy, where beyond the routine actions established, are included news strategies of active search and campaigns and actions of educations inside the clusters of this disease. The new agenda needs to involve the precepts of ethical, humane and supportive care, in order to achieve a new level of leprosy control in Brazil. Author summary: Leprosy remains as a severe health problem in Brazil and its transmission in children under 15 years of age occurs mainly through intradomiciliary contacts. The number of leprosy cases in this age group is considered an important indicator for the surveillance of this disease. To understand how the epidemiological studies in Brazil have shown the situation of young people affected by leprosy, we performed a systematic review of the literature, searching for published articles about the situation of leprosy in this age group. We reviewed 22 studies published during 2001 to 2016 and concluded that the negative effects of leprosy still remain high in most of studied places in Brazil. This disease was more common in boys, aged between 10 to 14 years old, with a remarkable proportion of disabilities due to leprosy. These disabilities can limit their routine activities and reflect failure in the public medical care. We hope that our review should contribute to arguments in order to improve the control of this disease in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Pure Neural Leprosy (PNL) is a rare clinical form of leprosy in which patients do not present with the classical skin lesions but have a high burden of the disability associated with the disease. Clinical characteristics and follow up of patients in PNL are still poorly described in the literature. Objective: This paper aims to describe the clinical, electrophysiological and histopathological characteristics of PNL patients, as well as their evolution after multidrug therapy (MDT). Methods: Fifty-two PNL patients were selected. Clinical, nerve conduction studies (NCS), histopathological and anti-PGL-1serology were evaluated. Patients were also assessed monthly during the MDT. At the end of the MDT, all of the patients had a new neurological examination and 44 were submitted to another NCS. Results: Paresthesia was the complaint most frequently reported by patients, and in the neurological examination the most common pattern observed was impairment in sensory and motor examination and a mononeuropathy multiplex. Painful nerve enlargement, a classical symptom of leprosy neuropathy, was observed in a minority of patients and in the motor NCS axonal injuries, alone or in combination with demyelinating features, were the most commonly observed. 88% of the patients did not present any leprosy reaction during MDT. There was no statistically significant difference between the neurological examinations, nor the NCS pattern, performed before and after the MDT. Discussion: The classical hallmarks of leprosy neuropathy are not always present in PNL making the diagnosis even more challenging. Nerve biopsy is an important tool for PNL diagnosis as it may guide therapeutic decisions. This paper highlights unique characteristics of PNL in the spectrum of leprosy in an attempt to facilitate the diagnosis and management of these patients. Author summary: Neuropathy is responsible for most of the disability associated with leprosy disease. The pure neural leprosy (PNL), in spite of being a rare clinical presentation of that, has some singular characteristics that are still poorly studied. In this study, we selected 52 patients at the diagnosis to describe their clinical, neurophysiological and histopathological presentation patterns as well as their evolution during the multidrug therapy (MDT). We confirmed that sensitive symptoms were the most commonly described by PNL patients but neural pain is rare. Also confirmed that mononeuropathy mutiplex was the most common pattern observed at neurological examination and at the nerve conduction studies at the moment of the diagnosis. However we showed that painful nerve enlargement other cardinal signs of leprosy, besides the skin lesions, is not common in this group of patients, There was no statistically significant difference between the neurological examination and NCS performed before and after the MDT.During the MDT88.4% of the patients did not have any leprosy reaction. This may suggest that that MDT was effective in stopping disease progression. Our results highlight the difficulties in the diagnosis of PNL and the progression following MDT in an attempt to prevent further disability in PNL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The most reported viral co‐infections in leprosy are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human T‐cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and SARS‐CoV‐2. In co‐infections, the burden of an agent can be increased or decreased by the presence of others. To address this issue, we need to fully understand their prevalence, risk factors, immunology, clinical manifestations, and treatment. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the most reported viral co‐infections in leprosy to inform clinicians and guide future research. Methods: The authors conducted a literature search of five databases for articles on each of the aforementioned co‐infections published prior to October 2022. Two independent reviewers conducted the selection process and identified 53 papers meeting the study inclusion criteria. The data extraction process and evidence synthesis were conducted by one reviewer and double‐checked by a second one, consistent with best practice recommendations for scoping reviews. Results: For all assessed viruses, most studies reported prevalence rates in leprosy patients higher than the general population. Studies found that HTLV, HBV, and HCV chronic infections were highest in multibacillary leprosy, whereas HIV was mostly found in paucibacillary leprosy, and SARS‐Cov‐2 affected leprosy subtypes equally. Overall, co‐infections were also associated with higher rates of leprosy reactions, except for COVID‐19. Forty‐six percent of the studies discussed issues related to treatment, which led to favorable outcomes for the most part. Conclusions: This review summarizes the existing literature on viral co‐infections in leprosy patients, generating valuable insights and recommending areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's, is one of the listed neglected tropical diseases as a major health problem global. Treatment is one of the main alternatives, however, the scarcity of medication and its poor distribution are important factors that have driven the spread of the disease, leading to irreversible and multi-resistant complications. This paper uses a distribution methodology to optimize medication administration, taking into account the most relevant attributes for the epidemiological profile of patients and the deficit in treatment via Polychemotherapy. Multi-criteria Decision Methods were applied based on AHP-Electre model in a database with information from patients in the state of Para between 2015 and 2020. The results pointed out that 84% of individuals did not receive any treatment and, among these, the method obtained a gain in the distribution of 68% in patients with positive diagnosis for leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to reduce new leprosy cases by 70% by 2030, necessitating advancements in leprosy diagnostics. Here we discuss the development of two WHO's target product profiles for such diagnostics. These profiles define criteria for product use, design, performance, configuration and distribution, with a focus on accessibility and affordability. The first target product profile outlines requirements for tests to confirm diagnosis of leprosy in individuals with clinical signs and symptoms, to guide multidrug treatment initiation. The second target product profile outlines requirements for tests to detect Mycobacterium leprae or M. lepromatosis infection among asymptomatic contacts of leprosy patients, aiding prophylactic interventions and prevention. Statistical modelling was used to assess sensitivity and specificity requirements for these diagnostic tests. The paper highlights challenges in achieving high specificity, given the varying endemicity of M. leprae, and identifying target analytes with robust performance across leprosy phenotypes. We conclude that diagnostics with appropriate product design and performance characteristics are crucial for early detection and preventive intervention, advocating for the transition from leprosy management to prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serological tests for antibody measurement in leprosy have a series of limitations in discriminating contacts and patients. The present paper intends to evaluate if association of more than one antibody isotype in serum samples may be a useful tool in leprosy diagnosis. This study evaluated 395 leprosy contacts and 71 leprosy index cases living in endemic municipalities in Northeastern Brazil. The participants were evaluated according to their anti-phenolic glycolipid antigen-I isotype (PGL-I) profile. Serum anti-PGL-I IgM, IgG, and IgA were measured by indirect ELISA. A strong association was found for antibody positivity in MB leprosy index cases. The odds ratios were 6.11 (95% CI 3.08 – 12.16) for IgM, 3.31 (1.66 – 6.61) for IgG, and 16.97 (8.39 – 34.2) for IgA. For IgM associated with one or more isotypes, the OR was 21.0 (95% CI 10.11 – 43.64), and for IgG + IgA, the OR was 17.58 (6.23 – 49.54). The highest diagnostic sensitivity of 76.0% (95% CI 61.8 – 86.9) was observed for IgM, and the lowest value was 24.1% (13.0 – 38.2), which was observed for IgG + IgA isotypes. Regarding presumptive positive predictive values, the lowest value was obtained for IgM at 24.7% (95% CI 18.1 – 32.3), and the highest values were observed for IgM+ one or more isotypes and for IgG + IgA isotype at 60.0% (44.3 – 74.3) and 66.7% (41.0 – 86.7), respectively. The present work demonstrated that by associating two or more positive antibody isotypes, the risk of facing a real case of leprosy may increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the reported cases were 0.12 million in the six regions to the official report of the World Health Organization (WHO). For most children infected with leprosy, 0.008629 million cases were detected under fifteen. The total infected ratio of the children population is approximately 4.4 million. Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the awareness programs implementation has been disturbed. Leprosy disease still has a threat and puts people in danger. Nonlinear delayed modeling is critical in various allied sciences, including computational biology, computational chemistry, computational physics, and computational economics, to name a few. The time delay effect in treating leprosy delayed epidemic model is investigated. The whole population is divided into four groups: those who are susceptible, those who have been exposed, those who have been infected, and those who have been vaccinated. The local and global stability of well-known conclusions like the Routh Hurwitz criterion and the Lyapunov function has been proven. The parameters' sensitivity is also examined. The analytical analysis is supported by computer results that are presented in a variety of ways. The proposed approach in this paper preserves equilibrium points and their stabilities, the existence and uniqueness of solutions, and the computational ease of implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In new leprosy cases, grade 2 disability (G2D) is still a public health burden worldwide. It is often associated with the delayed leprosy diagnoses that healthcare systems should play a crucial role in preventing. The aim of this systematic review was to identify healthcare factors related to delays in case detection in leprosy. Methods: PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) was used as a guideline in this research. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) with reference code CRD42020189274. Data was collected from five electronic databases: Embase.com, Medline All Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and the WHO Global Health Library. Results: After applying the selection criteria for original empirical studies, and after removing duplicates, we included 20 papers from 4313 records. They had been conducted in ten countries and published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021. We identified three categories of healthcare factors related to delayed case. 1) Structural factors, such as i) financial and logistic issues, and geographical circumstances (which we classified as barriers); ii) Health service organization and management including the level of decentralization (classified as facilitators). 2) Health service factors, such as problems or shortages involving referral centers, healthcare personnel, and case-detection methods. 3) Intermediate factors, such as misdiagnosis, higher numbers of consultations before diagnosis, and inappropriate healthcare services visited by people with leprosy. Conclusions: Delays in leprosy case detection are due mainly to misdiagnosis. It is crucial to improve the training and capacity of healthcare staff. To avoid misdiagnosis and reduce detection delays, national leprosy control programs should ensure the sustainability of leprosy control within integrated health services. Author summary: New leprosy patients diagnosed with visible physical deformities represent a significant disease burden that also poses an important public health challenge. The physical deformities often result from long delays in case detection. Greater insight into the healthcare factors that contribute to such delays will support the development of effective prevention programs. We therefore reviewed all studies on the healthcare factors related to case-detection delay that had been published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021. Twenty studies were included in our analysis. We found that misdiagnosis was a core healthcare factor related to delays. Other common factors included inappropriate health services, a high number of consultations before diagnosis; and a lack of referral centers, healthcare personnel, and case-detection methods. Detection delay was further influenced by geographical circumstances, financial and logistic issues, and health-service organization and management including the level of the decentralization of healthcare programs. Because delays in leprosy case detection are due mainly to misdiagnosis, we recommend to improve the training and capacity of healthcare staff. To avoid misdiagnosis and reduce detection delays, national leprosy control programs should ensure the sustainability of leprosy control within integrated health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years Hōjō Tamio (1914-1937) has been receiving renewed critical attention as an author who popularized writing by people suffering from Hansen's disease that came to be known as "leprosy literature" or "Hansen's disease literature." This paper explores his depiction of a sufferer of Hansen's disease and social Others in his final novella, "Dōke Shibai," [The Farce] published posthumously in 1938 in both Chūō Kōron [The Central Review] and a collection of his works. Specifically, this paper looks at censorship in this piece to interrogate the way Hōjō created metonymic meaning between groups of social Others in order to critique those who perform alterity while turning their backs on those who are stigmatized by it. This paper provides new ways to engage with Hōjō's work and the social critique he embeds within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To aim of the paper was to describe the neurological features of the physical examination in patients with Hansen's disease who were treated in Bogotá, Colombia. We carried out a descriptive study of all patients with a Hansen's disease diagnosis treated at a referral center between 2003-2018. There were 327 eligible electronic health records (EHRs) with a final sample of 282 subjects. Leprosy was most common in males (57.45%), median age at the diagnosis was 54 years, and lesions of the lower limbs were more common (75.1%). The median time from disease onset to consult was 12 months. Most of them were classified as having lepromatous leprosy (39.7%). Pain over the median nerve trunk was the most common manifestation of disease (28%), followed by pain over the radial trunk (22%). Sensitive alterations were more common than motor ones. Specifically, the posterior tibial nerve was affected in nearly half of subjects. Dual impairment was more common in the ulnar nerve (13.8%). Some disability was apparent in 23.8% of subjects; predominantly grade 1 disability. Findings regarding age, leprosy type, and the frequency of individual nerve compromise were consistent with reports from other countries. Nerve trunk thickening was infrequent, which might be a consequence of subjectiveness in the examination and sample differences in sex distribution, degree of disability and time since disease onset. The frequency of morbidity and disability found in this sample, though low when compared with other series, fails to meet public health goals, including those limiting disability in younger subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Presently the leprosy program has no defined surveillance protocols for patients who complete the fixed duration multidrug therapy and are released from treatment (RFT). Hence, the information about the post‑RFT events in these patients is sparse and qualitative and quantitative data regarding their health care requirements is missing. During the DermLep survey carried out by the Indian Association of Dermatologists,Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL), a number of patients presented to dermatologists during the post RFT period for a variety of symptoms. This paper analyses the events in these patients during the post RFT period. Results: Out of a total of 3701 leprosy patients who presented to 201 dermatologists across India during the DermLep survey, 708 (26.2%) were in the post RFT period (488 males; 220 females). Of these, 21% were PB and 79% MB patients as per their treatment records. Majority were in the age group of 31‑59 years (55.5%); however, a significant proportion of them (20.7%) were elderly (>60 years). Majority of the patients (45.5%) presented within the first year of RFT with variable symptoms; 28% were between 1‑5 years, 5.5% between 5‑10 years; and 11.0% presented more than 10 years after RFT. Most common presenting complaint being persistent skin lesions as perceived by patients in 21.2%, followed by neuritis in 14.5%; trophic ulcers in 13.8%; deformities in 67 (11.8%); lepra reactions in 66 (11.6%); and recurrence of original symptoms in 6.7%. Conclusion: The DermLep Survey highlights the importance of ‘post RFT’ patients as an important subset of leprosy patients who visit dermatologists for various health related issues. The most common complaints in this subset were active/persistent skin lesions, lepra reactions and neuritis. In these patients, who are a sub‑group of ‘persons affected with leprosy’ the disease related issues can persist for many years post RFT. Hence, it is important to provide services in the programme to monitor and manage these complications for the prevention of impairments, disability and the related social issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is one of the oldest infectious diseases in the world. It has long been associated with stigma and discrimination, but only in recent years has this aspect been formally recognized by the international community as a human rights issue. The UN Human Rights Council first adopted a resolution on leprosy in 2008, and this was later followed by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2010. Nonbinding principle and guidelines on elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members accompanied the 2010 resolution, but these have yet to be fully implemented. In 2017, the Human Rights Council appointed a Special Rapporteur on leprosy to investigate the extent to which the principles and guidelines have been implemented, and her term was extended for a further 3 years in 2020. Considering the proper implementation of the principles and guidelines to be key to eliminating the discrimination that persons affected by leprosy and their families face in various parts of the world, this paper looks at the contribution the Special Rapporteur can make. Based on an assessment of her activities to date, it concludes that the Special Rapporteur has actively worked to build networks with persons affected by leprosy and related organizations and gain their trust, but has faced challenges in organizing official country visits. It goes on to analyze what sort of legacy the Special Rapporteur should aim to leave behind after completing her second term and how she can go about doing so in the time remaining. To this end, it makes 5 suggestions: (1) gather information systematically on the actual situation of discrimination; (2) compile a collection of success stories; (3) ensure that there is consistency between legally binding international covenants and treaties and the principles and guidelines; (4) present proposals for concrete actions that can be taken after the Special Rapporteur's second term ends; and (5) initiate a feasibility study on creating an "index" and "indicators" to measure the current status of stigma and discrimination and the extent to which the principles and guidelines have been implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our paper is to demonstrate a middle-aged male (KK61) from the 8th-century-CE cemetery of Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I (Duna-Tisza Interfluve, Hungary), who appears to represent the lepromatous form of Hansen's disease. Leprosy has affected not only the rhinomaxillary region of his face but also his lower limbs, with severe deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas (saddle-nose and flat-foot deformity, respectively). Consequently, he would have experienced disability in performing the basic activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, standing or walking; and thus, he would have required regular and substantial care from others to survive. Despite his very visible disease and associated debility, it seems that KK61 was accepted as a member of the community in death, since he has been buried within the cemetery boundaries, among others from his community. In addition, his grave has conformed to the mortuary practices characteristic of the Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I cemetery (e.g., burial orientation, position of the body in the grave, and type and quantity of accompanying grave goods). Although distinction or segregation in life do not preclude normative treatment in death, the long-lasting survival of KK61 with Hansen's disease implies that he would not have been abandoned but cared for by others. KK61 is one of the few published historic cases with leprosy from the Avar Age of the Hungarian Duna-Tisza Interfluve. His case gives us a unique insight into the biological consequences of living with Hansen's disease and illustrates the social attitude toward leprosy sufferers in early mediaeval Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy continues to be stigmatized, causing harm to fundamental rights, pain and hopelessness in those who have suffered from it and their families. From its relationship with public and mental health, effective strategies must be implemented to reduce stigma and unlearn myths and wrong perceptions, support families, and improve quality of life through early care and detection. This article shows that those affected by leprosy are capable, functional people with much to contribute to society anywhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study concerns psychological aspects of leprosy-afflicted patients. The purpose is to examine the perceived stigma, internalised stigma, self-esteem and social participation of the patients. In view of the above, the present paper is a primary survey based study on 262 (55 women and 207 men) aged 18-75 years leprosy-affected patients undergoing treatment in and around Kolkata. The main aim of the present paper is to look into the impact of leprosy on stigma, self-esteem and participation of patients in the society. Apart from calculation of descriptive statistics, the study undertakes t test for differences in means for independent sample. The results show that stigma, self-esteem and participation of the leprosy patients are affected by the gender of the patients, type of leprosy, place of stay, caste and visibility of the symptoms of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Contacts of leprosy patients have an increased risk of infection with Mycobacterium leprae. Contact tracing and chemo- or immunoprophylaxis are important means of preventing leprosy transmission. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of immunoprophylaxis with Mycobacterium indicus pranii vaccine in reducing anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 titers in household contacts of leprosy patients. Methods: This prospective single-center study was conducted in a tertiary care center in North India from January 2015 to December 2016. Contacts of leprosy patients (both paucibacillary and multibacillary) were screened for anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 antibodies with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Those found positive were given immunoprophylaxis with a single dose of Mycobacterium indicus pranii vaccine, and anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 titers were evaluated at six and 12 months. All contacts were clinically followed for three years. Results: Of the 135 contacts of 98 leprosy patients that were screened, 128 were recruited. Seventeen of these contacts were positive for anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 antibodies and were given Mycobacterium indicus pranii vaccine. Two contacts were lost to follow-up. After immunoprophylaxis, anti-phenolic glycolipid-1 titers were negative in all patients at all intervals, and no contact developed any clinical signs or symptoms of leprosy during the three-year follow-up. Limitations: The small number of contacts studied, the short follow-up period and the absence of a control group were limitations of this study. Dicussion: We could not find any papers on natural decline of PGL 1 titres in contacts, although in leprosy patients, these titres may even increase after completion of treatment. However the titres do correlate with bacterial load (reference: Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1998 Sep;66(3):356-64) so if the tires decrease or become negative it may be considered as an indirect evidence of bacillary clearance. Hence we may suggest the protective efficacy. Furthermore, as the editor mentioned, considering the small number of positive patients, a control group was not possible in the present pilot study, but such studies may be carried out in the future. Conclusion: Immunoprophylaxis with Mycobacterium indicus pranii vaccine is effective and safe in preventing disease in contacts of leprosy patients. However, these findings need to be replicated in larger studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2009 and 2010, a rescue excavation at Nitra‐Selenec II (Slovakia) was carried out by the Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. A medieval cemetery dated to the end of 11th century was discovered, yielding 72 individuals, including the skeleton of young female manifesting skeletal changes consistent with leprosy. The lesions of rhino‐maxillary syndrome (facies leprosa) were observed together with atrophied/tapered metatarsal bones of "licked candy" appearance. In addition, cribra orbitalia, cribra cranii, bilateral periostitis of distal ends of the tibiae and fibulae, and vertebral hypervascularization were recorded. The results of light microscopic investigation agreed with the macroscopic diagnosis of leprosy. Reported cases of leprosy from eastern central Europe are few, coming mostly from the region of present‐day Hungary. Until recently, only three probable cases of leprosy (all dated to pre‐Crusade Middle Ages) were discovered in the area of former Czechoslovakia, all of them discovered in the modern Czech Republic. The case from the late 11th century, presented in this paper, can be considered the first evidence of the disease in the region of Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of new leprosy cases is declining globally, but the disability caused by leprosy remains an important disease burden. The chance of disability is increased by delayed case detection. This review focusses on the individual and community determinants of delayed leprosy case detection. Methods: This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). The study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42020189274). To identify determinants of delayed detection, data was collected from five electronic databases: Embase.com, Medline All Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and the WHO Global Health Library. Results: We included 27 papers from 4315 records assessed. They originated in twelve countries, had been published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021, and described the factors related to delayed leprosy case detection, the duration of the delayed case, and the percentage of Grade 2 Disability (G2D). The median delay in detection ranged from 12 to 36 months, the mean delay ranged from 11.5 to 64.1 months, and the percentage of G2D ranged from 5.6 to 43.2%. Health-service-seeking behavior was the most common factor associated with delayed detection. The most common individual factors were older age, being male, having a lower disease-symptom perception, having multibacillary leprosy, and lack of knowledge. The most common socioeconomic factors were living in a rural area, performing agricultural labor, and being unemployed. Stigma was the most common social and community factor. Conclusions: Delayed leprosy case detection is clearly correlated with increased disability and should therefore be a priority of leprosy programs. Interventions should focus on determinants of delayed case detection such as health-service-seeking behavior, and should consider relevant individual, socioeconomic, and community factors, including stigmatization. Further study is required of the health service-related factors contributing to delay. Author summary: Leprosy remains an important public health problem with many new leprosy patients diagnosed with visible physical deformities, indicating a long delay in the detection of cases. For effective prevention programs, it is important to know the factors at the level of the individual and the community that contribute to the delay. We reviewed all published studies that reported individual and community factors related to delayed case detection in leprosy and included 27 studies in our analysis, published between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2021. Health-service-seeking behavior was the most common factor associated with delay in case detection. The most common individual factors were older age, being male, having a lower disease-symptom perception, having multibacillary leprosy, and lack of knowledge about leprosy. The most common socioeconomic factors were living in a rural area, performing agricultural labor, and being unemployed. Stigma was the most common social and community factor associated with detection delay. The presence of physical disability in newly diagnosed leprosy patients is clearly related to the delay in detecting these patients. Leprosy control interventions should take factors related to detection delay into account more comprehensively. Also, there is a need to study health service-related factors that contribute to detection delay of leprosy patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy, podoconiosis, and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are among the priority neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ethiopia. The disability, psychosocial, and mental health status of people affected by these NTDs are still overlooked in global NTD discourse. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the existing evidence describing the disability, psychosocial, and mental health status of people affected by leprosy, podoconiosis, and LF prior to developing a holistic physical and psychosocial care package for these individuals. We searched papers reporting on disability, psychosocial, and mental health status linked to these 3 NTDs. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42019128400. Peer-reviewed articles were searched and extracted from Medline, PsycINFO, Global Health, and Embase. Articles published in English, irrespective of the year of publication, using a quantitative study methodology, were included. Abstracts and full texts were reviewed by 2 reviewers. Data were extracted and narratively summarized, as the studies were heterogeneous and used different outcome measures. Out of 1,318 titles/abstracts screened and 59 full text studies reviewed, 24 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Fourteen studies provided evidence of the disability associated with leprosy, podoconiosis, or LF. Ten studies provided evidence on the association between the 3 NTDs and mental health or psychosocial outcomes. The prevalence of grade 2 disability varied from 3.9% to 86%. The most commonly reported mental health impacts were depression and mental distress. A high burden of mental illness was reported, varying from 12.6% to 71.7%; the suicidal ideation was also high (18.5%). In conclusion, disability and poor psychosocial and mental health status are associated with leprosy, podoconiosis, and LF. For optimum management of these NTDs, holistic care including both physical and psychosocial interventions is vital. Author summary: Podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), and leprosy are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that are commonly found among disadvantaged rural and some poor urban communities. These diseases lead to disabilities of the leg, which may result in reduced productivity. The longer the duration of the disease, the more severe the disability. People affected by these diseases also commonly experience stigma and discrimination, which, in turn, affect health-seeking behavior. Due to this disability, stigma, and discrimination, people affected by these 3 NTDs have a poor quality of life. We also found a range of mental health problems related to these 3 NTDs. Among these, the most common were mental distress and depression. As all 3 NTDs are associated with poor physical, psychosocial, and mental health outcomes, management should be holistic, incorporating physical, psychosocial, and mental health interventions. Following this review, we are working on the development of a holistic integrated care package for people affected by leprosy, podoconiosis, and LF in northwestern Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the history and memory of a TB and leprosy colony--Gemo Island in postwar Papua and New Guinea (1946-74). Gemo Hospital was financed by the colonial government of Australia, administered by the European Sisters of the London Missionary Society, and staffed by Samoan Sisters and local medical orderlies. The contributions of the orderlies have been neglected in archives and historiography, which are typically interested in either missionary heroes or the Indigenous sufferers. This paper contributes to the literature on the histories of care for leprosy and biomedical infrastructures in the Pacific by focusing on the experiences of the Indigenous medical orderlies and their children on Gemo. To these individuals, Gemo was not an isolated place filled with stigma; it was a porous space to obtain access to care and modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy remains endemic in several country, where the disease is still considered as a health burden. The development of the disease is determined by several factors, amongst which that play significant role are close household contact and impaired immunity. Maternal index case significantly associated with leprosy case in children and nutritional status plays a pivotal role in shaping the immune response against the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. Thus, this paper aims to evaluatethe association between nutritional status and leprosy, especially in maternal and child leprosy. The study was conducted in Tuban, Indonesia. We foundsignificant difference in haemoglobin, red blood cells, and haematocrit levels in subject with maternal leprosy in the group of child without leprosy and leprous mother compared to the control group. The difference in haemoglobin and haematocrit level are also associated with child leprosy in the group of child with leprosy and mother with leprosy. In addition, although no significant association on BMI were observed, we found that the child whose mother contracted leprosy has a lower BMI compared to the other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite elimination efforts, the number of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) infected individuals who develop leprosy, is still substantial. Solid evidence exists that individuals living in close proximity to patients are at increased risk to develop leprosy. Early diagnosis of leprosy in endemic areas requires field-friendly tests that identify individuals at risk of developing the disease before clinical manifestation. Such assays will simultaneously contribute to reduction of current diagnostic delay as well as transmission. Antibody (Ab) levels directed against the M.leprae-specific phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) represents a surrogate marker for bacterial load. However, it is insufficiently defined whether anti-PGL-I antibodies can be utilized as prognostic biomarkers for disease in contacts. Particularly, in Bangladesh, where paucibacillary (PB) patients form the majority of leprosy cases, anti-PGL-I serology seems an inadequate method for leprosy screening in contacts as a directive for prophylactic treatment. Methods: Between 2002 and 2009, fingerstick blood from leprosy patients’ contacts without clinical signs of disease from a field-trial in Bangladesh was collected on filter paper at three time points covering six years of follow-up per person. Analysis of anti-PGL-I Ab levels for 25 contacts who developed leprosy during follow-up and 199 contacts who were not diagnosed with leprosy, was performed by ELISA after elution of bloodspots from filter paper. Results: Anti-PGL-I Ab levels at intake did not significantly differ between contacts who developed leprosy during the study and those who remained free of disease. Moreover, anti-PGL-I serology was not prognostic in this population as no significant correlation was identified between anti-PGL-I Ab levels at intake and the onset of leprosy. Conclusion: In this highly endemic population in Bangladesh, no association was observed between anti-PGL-I Ab levels and onset of disease, urging the need for an extended, more specific biomarker signature for early detection of leprosy in this area. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disease control program is critical to the agenda of social justice. A generalist approach to the disease control program involves understanding its complexity and prevention from various perspectives, including ecological theory. The integration of the disease control program into the existing healthcare delivery system has been advocated over many decades, with an emphasis on the medical model of disease control. Integration has been widely considered as a means to achieve an effective and efficient health system. This approach has been widely adopted in low-middle-income countries to integrate vertical programs such as leprosy, malaria, HIV/AIDs, and others. However, studies suggest that there is a lack of evidence about the effectiveness of health system integration. The available evidence shows that integration of the health system can have a mixed, negative, or no impact on the health system. This growing enthusiasm toward health system integration is primarily based on the perceived benefits of an integrated approach. This discussion paper draws on the experience of the integration of the National Leprosy Elimination Program in India. It highlights the factors that affected the integration of leprosy programs in Bihar and also affected the pursuit of social justice for people who have been marginalized in our modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin diseases are a common and inevitable consequence of ageing. Moreover, the clinical presentation is not as classical as they do in the younger population. A lifetime of solar exposure, along with intrinsic changes in the dermal structures, predisposes to a variety of skin diseases. The aim: to study the spectrum of various geriatric dermatoses among our patient population at the Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy at Kamineni Academy of Medical Sciences and Research Centre. Materials and methods: in this study, a total of 200 patients aged 60 years and above attending the DVL OPD of Kamineni Academy of Medical Sciences and Research Centre were included. Results: maximum number of patients in this study belonged to 60-65 years (60 %), Male to female ratio was 1.86:1. Most of the males had agriculture work, and most of the females were housewives. Diabetes mellitus was the commonest associated systemic disease seen in 68 cases (34 %), and generalised pruritus was the commonest symptom seen in 64 (32 %) cases, of which 42 cases (65.6 %) were associated with xerosis. Pathological skin disorders and eczematous conditions were seen in 56 out of 200 cases. Of this, asteatotic eczema was the common finding among the eczematous conditions seen in 14 cases (7 %). Psoriasis was seen in 32 (16 %) and lichen planus in 10 cases (5 %). Infectious diseases were seen in 78 cases (39 %). Of these, fungal infections were common, seen in 28 cases (14 %). The benign tumour was seborrheic keratosis in this study, seen in 61 cases (30.5 %); among the malignant tumours, 4 cases (2 %) of basal cell carcinoma and 2 cases (1 %) of squamous cell carcinoma were seen. Among 16 cases of bullous disorders, bullous pemphigoid was seen in 12 (6 %) cases. Among 22 cases of psychocutaneous disorders, delusional parasitosis was seen in 10 cases (5 %), and perforating folliculitis in 15 cases (7.5 %). Loss of luster was the commonest nail change seen in 182 cases (91 %), followed by nail plate thickening in 54 cases (27 %). Greying of the hair was seen in all cases. Out of 70 females, diffuse hair loss was seen in 58 cases (82.9 %), and out of 130 males, androgenetic alopecia was seen in 72 cases (55.4 %). Conclusion: skin diseases cause considerable morbidity in the elderly, particularly if associated with other comorbid conditions. Health education on proper skin care, avoidance of irritants and self-medication etc., would help to reduce the incidence of common dermatoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The province of Formosa, Argentina, is endemic for leprosy. In the present paper, we assessed the trend (T, 2002–2016 time series) and the forecast for 2022 of new case detection rate (NCDR) and determined the spatial distribution of new cases detected (NCD) of leprosy. Methodology/Principal findings: This is a descriptive observational study of 713 NCD of leprosy from provincial medical records between January 2002 and December 2016. The whole dataset from the provincial medical record was used to independently estimate the NCDR trends of the general population, age groups, sexes and Departments. This same database was used to estimate the NCDR forecast of the general population for 2022, applying a dynamic linear model with a local linear trend, using the MCMC algorithm. The NCDR was higher in men (p<0.05), increased with age (0.20, 8.17, 21.04, and 29.49 for the 0–14, 15–44, 45–64 and over 65-year-old age groups, respectively; p<0.05) and showed a downward trend (negative values) of estimated slopes for the whole province and each Department. Bermejo Department showed the highest (T:-1.02, 95%CI: [-1.42, -0.66]) and Patiño the lowest decreasing trend (T:-0.45, 95%CI: [-0.74, -0.11]). The NCDR trend for both sexes was similar (T:-0.55, 95%CI: [-0.64, -0.46]), and age groups showed a decreasing trend (S15-44:-103, S45-64:-81, S>65:-61, p<0.05), except for the 0–14 age group (S:-3, p>0.05), which showed no trend. Forecasts predicted that leprosy will not be eliminated by 2022 (3.64, 95%CI: [1.22, 10.25]). Conclusions/Significance: Our results highlight the status of leprosy in Formosa and provide information to the provincial public health authorities on high-risk populations, stressing the importance of timely detection of new cases for further elimination of the disease in the province. Author summary: Leprosy, a neglected tropical disease, is a public health problem in northern Argentina, causing permanent damage, stigmatization and discrimination. The Program for the Control of Leishmaniasis and Leprosy in Formosa province (PCLyLF) is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the active search for household contacts. The present study aimed to determine the spatial distribution of new cases of leprosy and the status of the disease using new case detection rate (NCDR) as the main epidemiological indicator. We determined the NCDR trends (2002–2016 time series) of the general population, age groups, sexes and Departments, and the NCDR forecast for the province by 2022. Our results indicated that leprosy was spread throughout Formosa, with higher rates in men and in patients over 65 years old. The NCDR showed a downward trend in the whole province and in each Department. The Departments of Bermejo and Matacos had the highest decreasing trend and the Department of Patiño the lowest one. Future projections show that leprosy will not be eliminated by 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the engagement of Graham Greene's novelA Burnt-Out Casewith traditional discourses of leprosy (the biblical ‘leper’ as a sinner, missionary care, tropical medicine, Albert Schweitzer's hospital in Lambaréné, germ theory), and shows how it suggests an ethics of care which highlights the psychosocial aspects of disease and healing. The paper argues that the reception of the novel opened a discursive space for the re-negotiation of images of leprosy after empire, making visible the structures and agents of global public health communication and their diverging conceptions of explanatory authority, scientific accuracy and the relation of science and literature. The article incorporates archival sources from press reviews to draft versions of the novel and the author's correspondence with prominent leprosy experts. It draws on media and science communication studies, disability studies and on contributions to the sociology of knowledge by Ludwik Fleck, Thomas Kuhn and Bruno Latour. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

When New Zealand military forces occupied Sāmoa in 1914, there were 12 recorded leprosy sufferers isolated in a leprosy station established by the Imperial German government in the village of Falefa. By 1918, the leprosy sufferers had been relocated to the island of Nu‘utele, off the east coast of Upolu. Four years later in 1922, the patients were transferred to the Fiji leprosy colony on the island of Makogai. Drawing largely on archival, song and oral records, this paper focuses on the years from 1918 to 1922 and examines the network of authorities involved in the care of leprosy sufferers and the policies of the New Zealand administration to keep Sāmoa ‘clean’ of the disease. This care and these policies led to the ‘Makogai solution’, which, as fragments of songs and oral histories indicate, was for decades to haunt those left behind in Sāmoa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Father Damien was a Roman Catholic missionary who lived in Hawai'i amongst people with leprosy, currently known as Hansen's disease. He eventually contracted the disease himself and, after his death in 1889, was transformed into the martyred icon (later saint) of Moloka'i. This paper explores the role of a museum in remembering a missionary saint by focusing on the Damien Museum in Tremelo, Belgium. It does so by focusing on the role of material objects as an essential element of religious devotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. It is divided into the lepromatous (lepra lepromatosa tuberosa) and tuberculoid form (lepra tuberculoides). Leprosy can affect occur at any age but the highest incidence is observed in the third decade of life. Currently, the largest endemic foci of leprosy are located in South-East Asia, South America and Central Africa. The highest incidence is reported in India, Brazil, Nepal, Mozambique and Angola. In several endemic countries, especially in India and Brazil, leprosy is still a threat to public health. Aim: The aim of the paper is to acquaint the readers with and raise their awareness of public health risks connected with leprosy. Material and method: The present review paper is based on publications and reports of the World Health Organization (WHO). Conclusions: People should be aware of health threats associated with leprosy. We have to help the affected and at the same time protect ourselves, since in the times of globalization and worldwide human migrations leprosy can suddenly emerge close to where we live. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histoid leprosy is a rare variant of leprosy with a unique clinical presentation and bacilli rich histology. These patients are large reservoirs for disease and vectors for spread, making prompt diagnosis and treatment crucial. To date, no consensus on treatment and duration exists. This paper aims to investigate the efficacy, safety, and duration of varying treatment regimens in patients with histoid leprosy. A systematic PubMed review of all articles published before January 2020 containing the key words histoid leprosy. All patients included must have completed their prescribed treatments with comment on outcomes and treatment duration. The review generated 165 articles containing 62 cases that met inclusion criteria. A majority of cases reported excellent clinical outcomes with limited adverse events. Regimens included variations of rifampicin, dapsone, clofazimine, minocycline, ofloxacin, and sulforthormadine with most treatment duration lasting 12 or 24 months. Existing literature is limited to case reports or case series and may be subject to publication bias of successful cases. Many reports lack quantifiable data regarding outcomes and rely on clinical judgment. Continued observation for complete clearance or relapse was limited. The findings demonstrate that multibacillary‐multidrug therapy is an efficacious and safe treatment for histoid leprosy. No significant differences were observed between 12 and 24 months of treatment. There remains no consensus on treatment duration for histoid leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper explores the potentials of and issues with managing Sorokdo as a dark tourism site themed with a combination of leprosy and a heritage reflecting colonialism. Based on on-site observations and interviews, this study identifies dark tourism elements in Sorokdo, perceptions of them, and their development. Then it discusses the consideration in developing Sorokdo as a dark tourism destination. The results show that a careful treatment of tourism elements and the residents is crucial. Understandings of different motivations of tourists and ethically sensitive interpretations, which would awaken awareness about leprosy and its dark historical facts, are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy stigma is more neglected than the disease itself since global interventions towards leprosy are focused on the medicalisation of individual-sufferers and statistical counting of documented cases and less prioritising the impact of leprosy stigma towards society. This paper examines the impact of courtesy stigma on society through comparative ethnographic method conducted in two sites in East Java Province, Indonesia. Investigation in the first site, Mandangin Island, found that the island suffers underdevelopment of public facilities such as clinics and clean water and migration and medical knowledge bottlenecks. In the second site, Sumberglagah village, leprosy patients and the community they live with are also socially separated from the locals and they are engaged in controversial businesses exploiting the public fear of leprosy. This study finds that leprosy stigma in two leprosy-impacted communities in East Java, Indonesia, does not only isolate individuals but also a whole community from a bigger society regardless of whether all of the community members have leprosy. This study also detects problems related to leprosy education within the two impacted communities. It is suggested that efforts to address the problems require holistic approaches and commitments from various actors in the area in complement to existing global health missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The revival of monasticism in the eleventh century promoted greater seclusion of monks and the re-positioning of care offered to the community. The increasing prevelance of leprosy also prompted the development of hospitals as independent foundations. These factors contributed to the establishment of over 1000 hospitals in England during the medieval period (AD 1050–1550). Documentary evidence relating to the inhabitants of these sites, particularly non-adults, is scarce. Over the past twenty years, archaeological excavations and bioarchaeological studies of medieval hospital cemeteries across England, have produced an increasing body of evidence which is revealing new information about hospital inhabitants. This paper will provide an overview of current approaches to the study of non-adults buried at medieval hospitals from historical, archaeological and bioarchaeological perspectives. Consideration is given to the theoretical and scientific advances in these areas, and the potential of osteological methods to enhance our knowledge of non-adults in hospital populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 13th-century text Ami et Amile, Ami is willingly stricken with leprosy after he replaces Amile in the judicial battle to prove his friend's innocence, having been warned beforehand about the affliction by an angel. This paper explores the notion of vulnerability through the lens of leprosy. Medieval society regarded the leper as being touched by God, a physical manifestation of an inward transgression. Ami, as a leper, incites both fear and longing: the disease excludes him from society due to its contagious and incurable nature. Concurrently, it provides the opportunity for charity by tending to the sick and lowly. In this case, it allows Amile and his children to perform charitable Christian sacrifices to save Ami: Amile murders his own children for the blood cure, while the children die for the benefit of another. Their sacrifices are rewarded as the children are restored to life and Amile is forgiven the infanticide, revealing a logic of vulnerability that applies to the characters as well as the political and social institutions in place. In the end, it is vulnerability that permits ultimate redemption and allows secular personages to achieve spiritual elevation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind. Despite the advancements made by science and technology, this curable disease remains misunderstood and dreaded. India is home to the largest number of new leprosy cases globally. Tamilnadu is one among state of high level of leprosy cases in India. The country was still seen to have largest number of leprosy patients in 2018 especially female and children. Keeping this view, “The Burden Leprosy Diseases in India: A study with special reference to Tamilnadu and their Districts” was undertaken. Data and Method: The paper uses the secondary data from Report of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other research studies and carries out the bi-variate analysis to realise its objectives. Findings and Suggestion: The Tamilnadu contribution of growth of leprosy diseases was continuously decreased because our government will take more steps to reduce the number of leprosy cases. Then only it is possible to reach less than one like Kerala and Punjab. Chennai (9.07%), Erode (9.93%) and Villupuram (9.48%) are the large number new leprosy cases deducted district in Tamilnadu. The budget allocation of Tamilnadu share was very low than the other states in India for the purpose of treatment of leprosy diseases. Government will educate the female and children to prevent from the communicable diseases like leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leprosy is a chronic, granulomatous infectious disease commonly affecting the skin, nerves, mucosa and eyes. The stigma associated with the disease frequently leads to delay in presentation to health professionals. Treated patients, though considered cured presumptively, many continue to live with physical disabilities and deformities. Intact visual acuity prevents humans from trauma and any reduction in visual acuity, especially in leprosy, increases the risk of getting injured by many folds. Here, we present a case of leprosy with complete loss of vision due to bilateral anterior staphyloma secondary to keratitis and his physical deformities preventing him to take care of his eyes. This paper aims to emphasize on the importance of a baseline ophthalmology consultation in all newly diagnosed leprosy patients and repeat examination at onset of any new symptoms of the eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is no point of care diagnostic test for infection with M. Leprae or for leprosy, although ELISA anti PGL-1 has been considered and sometimes used as a means to identify infection. Methods: A systematic review of all cohort studies, which classified healthy leprosy contacts, at entry, according to anti-PGL1 positivity, and had at least one year follow up. The outcome was clinical diagnosis of leprosy by an experienced physician. The meta-analysis used a fixed model to estimated OR for the association of PGL-1 positivity and clinical leprosy. A fixed model also estimated the sensibility of PGL-1 positivity and positive predictive value. Results: Contacts who were anti PGL-1 positive at baseline were 3 times as likely to develop leprosy; the proportion of cases of leprosy that were PGL-1 positive at baseline varied but was always under 50%. Conclusions: Although there is a clear and consistent association between positivity to anti PGL-1 and development of leprosy in healthy contacts, selection of contacts for prophylaxis based on anti PGL1 response would miss more than half future leprosy cases. Should chemoprophylaxis of controls be incorporated into leprosy control programmes, PGL1 appears not to be a useful test in the decision of which contacts should receive chemoprophylaxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae which affects skin, nerves, eyes, and nasal mucosa. Despite global elimination efforts, Tanzania remains among 13 countries reporting more than 1000 leprosy cases annually. In 2021, Tanzania identified 1,511 new cases, with 10% having grade II disability. Moreover, 14 councils recorded leprosy rates exceeding 10 cases per 100,000 population. This study aimed to assess the burden of leprosy and associated risk factors for disabilities in Tanzania from 2017 to 2020. Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate all registered treated leprosy patients from January 2017 to December 2020. The Leprosy Burden Score (LBS) was used to assess the disease burden, while binary logistic regression was employed to evaluate the risk factors for disability. Result: A total of 6,963 leprosy cases were identified from 2017 to 2020. During this period, the point prevalence of leprosy declined from 0.32 to 0.25 per 10,000 people, and the new case detection rate decreased from 3.1 to 2.4 per 100,000 people; however, these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Independent risk factors for leprosy-related disabilities included male sex (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.38, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.22–1.57), age 15 years and above (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.60–3.67), previous treatment history (AOR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.69–2.82), and positive Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.11–2.30). Conclusion: This study identified male sex, older age, positive HIV status, and prior treatment history as independent risk factors for leprosy-related disabilities. Additionally, despite the observed decline in point prevalence and new case detection rates, these changes were not statistically significant. To address leprosy-related disabilities, it is crucial to implement specific prevention strategies that focus on high-risk groups. This can be accomplished by enhancing screening and contact tracing efforts for early patient identification to prevent delays in intervention. Further research is warranted to analyze the burden of leprosy over a more extended period and to explore additional risk factors not covered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]