@article{27615,
  keywords = {Neglected Diseases, leprosy, Incidence., Epidemiology, Communicable Diseases, Brazil},
  author = {Brito AL and Monteiro LD and Novaes Ramos A and Heukelbach J and Alencar C},
  title = {Temporal trends of leprosy in a Brazilian state capital in Northeast Brazil: epidemiology and analysis by joinpoints, 2001 to 2012.},
  abstract = {<p>The objective of this study was to characterize epidemiological and temporal trends of leprosy in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, from 2001 to 2012. A total of 9,658 new cases were reported. Their temporal trend was analyzed by the jointpoint regression model. The overall detection rate showed a declining trend, with annual percent change (APC) of -4.0 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) -5.6 - -2.3. The detection rate in children under 15 years of age (APC = -1.4; 95%CI -5.4 - 2.8) and the detection rate of disability grade 2 (APC = -0.8; 95%CI -4.5 - 3.1) were stable. The proportion of female patients was descending (APC = -1,5; 95%CI -2.3 - -0.8). The proportion of multibacillary cases from 2005 to 2012 (APC = 1.4; 95%CI 0.6 - 2.3) and among them, lepromatous cases from 2004 to 2012 (APC = 6.0; 95%CI 3.4 - 8.6) were increasing. There was stability in the proportion of cases with grade 1 (APC = 1.4; 95%CI -0.9 - 3.7) and grade 2 disability (APC = 3.7; 95%CI -0.1 - 7.8). Despite the trend towards a reduction in detection, the disease transmission persists in the city. The data also suggest late diagnosis.</p>
},
  year = {2016},
  journal = {Revista brasileira de epidemiologia = Brazilian journal of epidemiology},
  volume = {19},
  pages = {194-204},
  issn = {1980-5497},
  url = {http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rbepid/v19n1/en_1980-5497-rbepid-19-01-00194.pdf},
  doi = {10.1590/1980-5497201600010017},
  language = {eng},
}