EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF LEPROSY IN ELQALAAH DERMATOLOGY AND LEPROSY CLINIC

Abstract

SUMMARY Leprosy is a bacterial infection causing severe disfigurement of the affected individual. In spite of all the efforts, the disease remains a major healthcare distress in many underdeveloped and developing countries and continues to be a public health challenge globally. The disease leads to progressive and permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes. Therefore early diagnosis and treatment remains the key elements in controlling the disease and prevention of disabilities. Our study aims to provide an insight of the epidemiological trend of leprosy in Cairo, as we are in need of updated data about incidence, type of leprosy, sex and age more commonly affected, the incidence of developing disabilities, reactions and annual case detection rate to support the national strategy of the disease management. This study was performed in the period from 2009 to 2020, five hundred and four patients with leprosy were included in the study who were diagnosed in Elqalaah dermatology and leprosy clinic. Of these, 416 were classified as multibacillary. Patients’ age ranged from 5 to 80 years. The mean age of all patients was (38.16±14.55) years. Regarding the gender of the patients, males comprised about two-thirds of the study population. The majority of patients were detected by Notification. The most common clinical finding was macules followed by nerve enlargement. Patients with no previous history of contact were the majority of cases. Type one reaction occurred in 13.1% of cases while type two reaction occurred in only 2.4% of patients. As regarding disability, it was found in about half of the cases. Grade two disabilities in hands, feet and eyes was found in 11.9%, 6.7% and 1.8% of the cases respectively. The majority of patients completed their treatment course. The high proportion of cases reported by notification may be attributed to lack of health awareness of the disease and its signs and symptoms. Increasing community awareness of the disease will help in early diagnosis, proper management and we could avoid complications and disabilities.