重复开展消除麻风运动对当地新发现病人情况的影响

目的:观察贵州省兴义市重复开展消除麻风运动对当地新发现麻风病人的影响.方法:收集1996～2004年新发现麻风病人的有关资料进行比较分析.结果:9年共发现麻风病人166例,平均每年发现18.4例,年均发现率为2.65/10万.1999年首次开展消除麻风运动后3年,新病人中的2级畸残率和延迟期呈明显下降趋势,低于开展前3年的水平.两次开展消除麻风运动时的畸残率和平均延迟期均达较高水平,提示该地区虽两次开展消除麻风运动但麻风流行程度仍处于较高水平.结论:重复实施消除麻风运动可促进某些流行病学指标的好转,应反复多次开展.     

Treatment outcome and impact of leprosy elimination campaign in Sokoto and Zamfara states, Nigeria

A Leprosy Elimination Campaign (LEC) was implemented in 37 districts of Sokoto and Zamfara states, Nigeria from 13 August to 30 November 1998. The campaign utilized intensive community mobilization and training of local health personnel to detect hidden leprosy cases. During 8 weeks of case finding, 160,127 persons were screened; 353 new cases of leprosy were detected and placed on MDT; 236 (67%) of new cases detected were classified as MB, 64 cases (18%) suffered visible deformities and 24 patients (6.8%) were children. Follow-up in December 1999 of patients placed on MDT revealed 97% PB and 96% MB cure rates, respectively. Detection of cases in communities led some community leaders to ask for repeat surveys in their communities. Repeat surveys continue to yield new cases. The authors recommend that LECs be maintained for 3 years to accelerate leprosy elimination in the region. The cost effectiveness and impact of LEC in Sokoto-Zamfara are discussed.     

开展消除麻风运动后对当地新发现病人状况的影响

目的：分析开展消除麻风运动后对当地新发现麻风病人状况的影响。方法：通过比较麻风高流行县（市）开展消除麻风运动前、中和后一年的麻风新发现病人资料，分析新发现麻风病人各个方面情况。结果：发现所有8个县（市）在开展消除麻风运动当年发现病人数均为最高。在开展消除麻风运动后一年，防治力量强的县（市）发现病人数维持在开展消除麻风运动前一年的水平，防治力量弱的县（市）发现病人数则比开展运动前一年有减少。在开展消除运动期间发现的病人居住地离县麻风专业机构的距离最远，平均为62．8公里／人。开展消除运动期间疾病延迟期为最长，平均为42．9月，消除运动后一年发现的病人疾病平均延迟期缩短至26．5月。结论：开展消除麻风运动后在短期内不会对当地的新发现病人数产生很大的影响，但其促进了部分麻风流行病学指标好转，从而促进了当地麻风防治。     

A study on the impact of FD-MDT on 200 leprosy patients

A study was carried out from June 1999 to June 2001 to assess the impact of fixed duration multidrug therapy (FD-MDT) in newly detected cases of leprosy in terms of clinical and neurological improvement and changes in the bacillary index of skin smear for AFB. 200 new leprosy cases (both PB & MB) were started on FD-MDT. Of these 200 cases, 16 were of pure neuritic leprosy. After treatment, out of 184 cases with typical skin lesions of leprosy, all 26 PB cases showed inactivity of skin lesions, and, of the remaining 158 MB cases, 40.5% showed inactivity and 59.5% showed complete resolution of skin lesions. Out of 68 skin smear-positive cases, 42 cases with a BI of < or = 3 became smear-negative, while others showed gradual fall in the BI. Such heavily bacilliferous cases were continued with treatment for 1 more year to prevent relapse. As FD-MDT alone does not cure established sensory and motor impairment, it did not show any change in 19% of the patients presented with permanent sensory motor disturbance. FD-MDT prevents progression of sensory/motor disturbance.     

Capture-recapture method to assess the prevalence of disabled leprosy patients.

The capture-recapture technique was applied in estimating the prevalence of disabled leprosy patients in four States in Northern Nigeria. A two-sample capture-recapture method, using data from hospital admissions during 1997 and 1998 in three leprosy referral hospitals, and from a sample survey on leprosy patients with disabilities in the clinics in 1999. In the sample, 1395 (ex) leprosy patients were found, 393 with a disability. Of these 393 patients, 47 had been admitted during 1997 and 1998 to one of three leprosy referral hospitals. In these hospitals, 151 individuals from the 24 study Local Government Areas (LGA) in four states of Northern Nigeria were admitted in 1997 and 1998. Using the Peterson estimator, we calculated the number of unknown disabled leprosy patients in the studied LGAs to be 1262 (95% confidence interval 991-1533). This was nearly four times greater than the field reported figure. The capture-recapture method can be applied in a leprosy care programme. Limitations of the method are the completeness of reporting after invitation in the field, as well as the probable biased sample of leprosy patients admitted to hospital. Our finding implies that relying on patients to report for prevention of disabilities and rehabilitation to the clinics, causes the real size of the problem to be underestimated by a factor of 3-4. We recommend the use of a special 'care' register for disabled leprosy patients to better address their needs for prevention of disabilities and rehabilitation.     

重复开展消除麻风运动地区的病例发现和患者临床情况分析

目的：观察湖南省西部2个麻风高流行县重复开展消除麻风运动对当地麻风患者发现及临床指标的影响。方法：收集自1997—2002年麻风新发病例，其中包括开展消除麻风运动年份的病例资料，对各年发现病人数，平均确诊年龄，畸残率，延迟期等进行比较分析。结果：从1997年至2002年共发现133例患者。平均每年发现22．2例，年发现率2．4/10万。1998年开展LEC时发现的新病人数是接近开展IEC前一年的2倍，以后新发现病人数减少到一个稳定的低水平，在2002年重复开展LEC时，发现数又是接近前一年的2倍。但与1998年首次开展LEC时发现数相比，减少了50％。新发病人的疾病延迟期平均为34．8月，疾病延迟期在开展LEC前后未显示有缩短或延长的趋势。133例患者中，35例有可见畸残(26．3％)。但新发现病人中2级畸残率从1998年的32．0％下降到2002年重复实施LEC时的12％。结论：作者认为重复实施消除麻风运动促进了当地某些流行病学指标的好转。     

Analysis on the detection of new leprosy cases before, during and after the year of leprosy elimination campaigns

To analyse the impact on of case finding of leprosy elimination campaigns (LECs), data on newly detected leprosy cases in a leprosy endemic area were collected before, during and after the year of LEC. The number of new leprosy cases detected during the year of LEC was significantly higher than previously. The number of newly detected cases after the year of LEC was similar to that of detected before the year of LEC in counties with persisting case finding activities. However, the number of newly detected cases after the year of LEC significantly decreased in counties without active case finding activities. The average distance from the homes of leprosy cases detected during LEC to the leprosy control unit at the count town was 62.8 km, which is farther than that of other leprosy cases detected before and after the year of LEC. The average time from disease onset to diagnosis of leprosy cases detected after the year of LEC shortened. The results also showed that carrying out LECs is unlikely to have a significant impact on the trend of case finding within a short time in local areas, but it may improve some indicators of leprosy patients and so promote leprosy control in local areas.     

Patterns of erythropoiesis and anaemia in leprosy

A total of 128 leprosy patients were investigated for the morphological type of anaemia, the underlying disturbances in iron metabolism and patterns of erythropoiesis and other cytomorphological changes in the bone marrow. The anaemia was a mild to moderate degree in paucibacillary (PB) leprosy, while in multibacillary (MB) leprosy it was of a severe degree. Iron deficiency was observed in only a few patients. Impaired iron utilization as observed in a anaemia of a chronic disorder was a common finding in MB leprosy (41.7%) and more so in new cases (50%). Megaloblastic erythropoiesis was also more frequent in MB leprosy (45.2%) as compared to PB leprosy (16%), accounting for the severe degree of anaemia in the former type. In 17.2% of the total patients (MB, 21.4%; PB, 9%) both megaloblastic erythropoiesis and features of impaired iron utilization were observed in bone marrow. Disturbances in iron metabolism and erythropoiesis were also observed but to a lesser degree in patients receiving specific antileprosy treatment. Irrespective of the type of disease and duration of treatment, increasing frequency of acid-fast bacillia (AFB) positivity and granulomas was observed in the bone marrow with an increasing severity of anaemia.     

1990-2018年云南省新发麻风患者畸残情况分析

目的：分析云南省1990-2018年新发麻风患者2级畸残情况。方法：对1990-2018年11010例新发麻风患者资料进行分析。结果：新发病例中2级畸残2647例,2级畸残率24.04%。4006例少菌型患者中2级畸残者1294例（32.3%）, 7004例多菌型患者中畸残者1353例(19.3%)。对其中的2202例畸残者进一步分析,单侧和双侧眼部畸残分别为138例和184例,手部单双侧畸残分别为742例和430例,足部单双侧畸残分别为384例和144例。结论：少菌型（PB）比多菌型（MB）麻风患者畸残比例更高,手部畸残明显高于眼部和足部,手部和足部畸残常呈不对称性。     

Oxidative stress and anti-oxidant status in leprosy patients

Severe oxidative stress has been reported in leprosy patients because of malnutrition and poor immunity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum lipid peroxidation products, serum LDH and important free radical scavenging enzymes, i.e. superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase and anti-oxidant glutathione levels and total anti-oxidant status, in different types of leprosy patients. The subjects for this study were normal human volunteers (NHVs, n=14), paucibacillary leprosy patients (PB, n=18), untreated MB patients (MB1, n=18), MB patients under treatment (MB2, n=19), and MB patients released from treatment (RFT) (MB3, n=28). The levels of lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), and LDH increased significantly (p<0.001) in MB (MB1, MB2, MB3) patients, and both gradually decreased with clinical improvement following MDT. The levels of SOD, catalase and glutathione, and the total anti-oxidant status decreased significantly in MB (MB1, MB2, MB3) patients (p<0.001), in comparison with NHVs. They gradually increased with clinical improvement with MDT. There was no significant variation of these parameters in PB leprosy patients in comparison with healthy volunteers. High free radical activity and low anti-oxidant levels observed in MB (MB1, MB2, MB3) leprosy patients indicate that there is an oxidative stress in MB cases, irrespective of the treatment status and suggest a suitable anti-oxidant therapy to prevent possible tissue injury.     

Cytokines in leprosy, II. Effect of treatment on serum cytokines in leprosy

Background Multidrug therapy (MDT) causes a decrease in the bacterial burden in leprosy patients. Does the decrease in the antigenic stimulation of the immune system have an effect on cytokine production? Methods The effect of treatment on serum cytokines was evaluated in 36 leprosy patients and 35 reactional leprosy patients and compared with that in 20 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to measure serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) before and after treatment. These cytokines represent T-helper 1 (TH1), T-helper 2 (TH2), and macrophage cytokines, respectively. Results The studied serum cytokines were significantly reduced after 1 year of treatment in leprosy patients. The degrees of reduction were significantly positively correlated with a reduction in the bacterial index (BI) and morphologic index (MI). After 1 year of MDT (but not 6 months), paucibacillary (PB) patients showed a significant reduction in all the studied serum cytokines to levels comparable with those of healthy controls. Multibacillary (MB) patients also showed a significant reduction in all the studied serum cytokines, but the levels were still significantly higher than those of healthy controls. Leprosy patients with high levels of serum IL-1β were more susceptible to the development of reactions after the initiation of treatment. Corticosteroid therapy of reactional patients resulted in a significant reduction in the studied serum cytokines to levels similar or lower than those of nonreactional leprosy patients. The dose of steroids showed a significant positive correlation with the amount of decrease in IL-1β. Conclusions MDT caused a reduction in serum cytokines correlated with a reduction in the bacterial burden. It is advisable to continue MDT for PB patients for 1 year. Serum IL-1β levels may have a prognostic value for the susceptibility of leprosy patients to the development of reactions.     

The ML flow test as a point of care test for leprosy control programmes: potential effects on classification of leprosy patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of the ML Flow test as an additional, serological, tool for the classification of new leprosy patients. DESIGN: In Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, 2632 leprosy patients were classified by three METHODS:: (1) as multibacillary (MB) or paucibacillary (PB) according to the number of skin lesions (WHO classification), (2) by slit skin smear examination, and (3) by serology using the ML Flow test detecting IgM antibodies to Mycobacterium leprae-specific phenolic glycolipid-I. RESULTS: The proportion of MB leprosy patients was 39.5, 35.6 and 19.4% in Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, respectively. The highest seropositivity in patients was observed in Nigeria (62.9%), followed by Brazil (50.8%) and Nepal (35.6%). ML Flow test results and smears were negative in 69.1 and 82.7% of PB patients, while smears were positive in 58.6% of MB patients in Brazil and 28.3% in Nepal. In MB patients, both smears and ML Flow tests were negative in 15.6% in Brazil and 38.3%, in Nepal. Testing all PB patients with the ML Flow test to prevent under-treatment would increase the MB group by 18, 11 and 46.2% for Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria, respectively. Using the ML Flow test as the sole criterion for classification would result in an increase of 11.3 and 43.5% of patients requiring treatment for MB leprosy in Brazil and Nigeria, respectively, and a decrease of 3.7% for Nepal. CONCLUSIONS: The ML Flow test could be used to strengthen classification, reduce the risk of under-treatment and minimize the need for slit skin smears.     

MDT-MB therapy in paucibacillary leprosy: a clinicopathological assessment

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends treatment regimens for paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy, which differ in their duration and components. Hence accurate classification of the disease is required. To overcome difficulties in classification Uniform Multi Drug Therapy (U-MDT) has been recommended. AIM : To evaluate the benefit of adding clofazimine to paucibacillary regimens in leprosy patients by measuring clinical and histological resolution. METHODS: Forty-four paucibacillary patients were included in the study. Twenty-two patients were given MDT-PB regimen and the remaining MDT-MB regimen for six months . Skin biopsies were done before the commencement and at the end of treatment. Clinical and histological resolutions were measured according to the standard criteria a laid down. The results were analyzed using Fishers' test and Crammers' V test. RESULTS: Clinical improvement was observed in 90.9% in the MB group as compared to 27.3% in the PB group. Regression in the nerve swelling was observed in 70% in the MB group and in 37.5% in the PB group while histological resolution was observed in 72.8% and 54.5% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of clofazimine helps to resolve leprosy lesions both clinically and histologically, thus justifying the concept of Uniform MDT regimen for all patients.     

Perspectives of leprosy patients on MDT services after integration of NLEP functions into primary health care

Sixty-five leprosy patients residing in rural Digapahandi block of Ganjam district were studied during July-August 2001 in order to ascertain their perspectives regarding different MDT services after NLEP functions were integrated into primary health care (PHC) in Orissa after September 1999. They included 43.08% multibacillary (MB) cases and 61.92% paucibacillary (PB) cases. Assessment was done by personal interviews of adult patients and the parents of child cases after verification of their treatment cards at the sub-centre. Patient's knowledge regarding the availability of MDT services under PHC services and utilization of these services were highlighted. Influence of different socio-demographic factors was also studied. Basing on the study results, recommendations were made for sustained NLEP functions through PHC in order to improve the utilization of MDT services, which will help in the elimination of leprosy.     

Evaluation of the modified leprosy elimination campaign in a high leprosy endemic district of Jharkhand

An evaluation of the third Modified Leprosy Eradication Campaign (MLEC) was carried out in Potka block in the high endemic district of East Singhbhum, Jharkhand State, India, by our external evaluation team, from 29 October to 8 November 2001. The searchers in this block detected 389 suspects during the MLEC; of these, 181 (46%) were examined, and 69 (38%) of them were confirmed as cases by the Programme staff. The evaluators examined 189 (48.5%) of the total 389 suspects detected by the searchers, including 31 of the 69 cases confirmed by the Programme staff. Concordance of diagnosis of leprosy cases by the Programme staff and the evaluators was found to be high (90%). However, concordance of the type of leprosy was found to be variable (PB 38%, MB 72%, SSL 100%). Specificity and sensitivity of diagnosis by the Programme staff (as against those by the evaluators) were found to be 85.7% and 79.2% respectively. There was no case of re-registration. The evaluators examined 108 of the suspects detected by the Search Team, but not screened by the Programme staff, and diagnosed 47 cases (44%; PB 20, MB 9, SSL 18) from among them. The evaluators also diagnosed additional 30 new cases (PB 18, MB 5, SSL 7), during their visit. An assessment of knowledge about the disease and treatment among confirmed cases revealed that most of the patients did not know correctly about their disease. All the cases were referred by the searchers. About 45% of cases were aware of the duration for which they needed to take the treatment, 97% of cases showed the blister calendar packs and had taken the supervised dose. Availability of MDT to the patients and drug compliance were found to be adequate. Assessment of the impact of IEC activities on the awareness of leprosy among the community showed that about 50% of those interviewed were aware of the campaign. Most of them had information about the availability of leprosy drugs and knew that treatment was free. A majority of those aware of the disease said that they would refer suspects, if they come across any, to PHC centres for treatment.     

Satisfaction of leprosy patients on integrated MDT services: as evaluated by Bargarh Integrated Community Health Project (BICHP)

Functional integration can be viewed successful if general health system (GHS) delivers services to the satisfaction of leprosy patients. The study elicits responses from 307 leprosy cured persons of 3 blocks and one town covering a population of about 3,50,000 in district Bargarh, Orissa. 229 (74.6%) MB and 78 (25.4%) cured PB cases were the respondents. About 80% patients diagnosed and received treatment within half an hour, 89.9% respondents spent adequate time with providers for clarifying different aspects of leprosy, 85.0% felt the discussion very useful. About 94% had comfortable time at the health institutions. About 97% of persons were regular and completed FDT in time while 25.0% experienced some discrimination mostly at the health institutions. Trunk nerves were involved in 57% cases at detection which subsided during treatment in 33% of cases. Skin patches disappeared in 74.6% and became inactive in the rest. Majority (90.2%) were convinced about cure by MDT. Clients' satisfaction in terms of quality treatment and cordial patient provider relation in GHS should be a strong indicator for successful integration.     

开展消除麻风运动的效果评价

目的：通过开展消除麻风运动,评价其在发病人方面效果。方法：防治机构在当地政府支持下举办县级培训班和工作会议。各乡镇负责人和乡镇卫生院院长、防疫医生参加工作会议和培训班,同时通过媒介向公众开展健康教育运动。在运动中乡村医生和群众向医疗机构报告麻风人可颖线索,然后由麻风专家组成的医疗队确诊。结果：运动中覆盖９９个乡、镇的１４１１个行政村共计１３５万人口,上报１７３例麻风可疑线索,共确诊４１例麻风,其中多菌型３２例,少菌型９例,查菌阳性者２４例;２级畸残者１６例。永顺县、桑植县和崇义县、上犹县在运动中发现的病人数分别占各县全年发现病人总数的５６．３％,７７．８％和９０％。结论：短时间内发现许多病人说明消除麻风运动可有效地发现隐藏在社区内的病人。消除麻风运动还是对公众一次很好的麻风健康教育,促进了当地麻风的基本消灭。     

麻风固定疗程联合化疗后复发病例的分析

目的：评价麻风固定疗程联合化疗（FD MDT）后的远期复发率。方法：MB方案疗程24个月，PB方案疗程6个月，停药后定期随访患者的临床、病理、细菌变化，以观察FD MDT远期复发率。结果：4836例麻风患者采用FD MDT方案治疗，完成治疗4310例，其中MB方案3257例，复发12例，累积复发率为6．80／1000，平均复发潜伏期101．9个月；PB方案完成治疗1053例，复发2例，累积复发率为2．38／1000，平均复发潜伏期102．5个月。结论：凉山州、攀枝花两地20县FD MDT后复发率是低的，结果显示该方案疗程短、安全、疗效好，在边远山区和少数民族地区切实可行。     

Tissue and blood superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde level in leprosy

Background Oxidative stress (OS) results from an imbalance between free radical generating and scavenging systems. The end product of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde (MDA) serves as a marker of cellular damage. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) traps free radicals and acts as a free radical scavenging system. Objective To study OS indices in paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB) leprosy in tissues and blood. Materials and methods The study group comprised untreated PB patients (n = 14), untreated MB patients (n = 18) and normal human volunteers (n = 20). SOD activity, MDA level and MDA/SOD ratio were estimated in both blood and tissue. Results Compared with controls, SOD activity in tissues decreased significantly in both PB and MB patients, while SOD activity in erythrocytes decreased significantly only in MB. In addition, MDA levels increased significantly in tissues of both PB and MB patients. Moreover, the mean level of MDA in plasma of MB patients was significantly higher, whereas there was no significant difference in that of PB patients. This study showed significant increase in OS index (MDA/SOD ratio) in tissue of PB and MB patients and in blood of MB patients only, whereas there was no significant difference in OS index in blood of PB patients compared with that in the controls. Conclusion Oxidative stress was observed in both tissues and blood of MB patients and in tissues of PB patients, denoting its crucial involvement in the pathogenesis of leprosy. This can constitute an important tool in prognosis, treatment and control of leprosy.