IP International Journal of Medical Microbiology and Tropical Diseases
Official Publication of Khyati Education and Research Foundation
Official Publication of Khyati Education and Research Foundation
BACKGROUND: Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, a Gram-positive obligatory intracellular bacillus that is weakly acid-fast. It exhibits tropism for epidermal phagocytes and Schwann cells in peripheral nerves. The incidence and prevalence of leprosy cases have decreased both in India and the rest of the world since the advent of Multi-drug therapy. The global plan for leprosy includes early detection and high-quality services to lessen the stigma associated with leprosy. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the scenario of leprosy cases at a Medical College in Kolkata, India, and get an overview of demographic patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study including 329 leprosy cases whose slit skin smear examinations were done. RESULT and ANALYSIS: Out of 383 leprosy cases attending the Dermatology department, 329 patients were sent for slit skin smear examination, of which 112 were found to be smear positive and all were multi-bacillary, 76% were in the age group 21-50 yrs, followed by 22% in the above 50 yrs age group and only 2% in below 20 yrs. The male: female ratio is 2.1:1. Out of smear-positive cases maximum(22%) resided in Murshidabad district followed by North-24-Parganas (20%) and least from Purba- Barddhaman (2%). CONCLUSION: Actual cases of leprosy are much more than what is being diagnosed. More sensitive tests are required to detect pauci-bacillary cases. Public awareness and active surveillance are needed to detect new and contact cases and also remove the social stigma regarding leprosy by recruiting more female attendants to combat leprosy.
multibacillary leprosy, paucibacillary leprosy,elimination
