Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae which cause damage to the skin and peripheral nerve. Childhood leprosy indicates transmission of disease in a community. Therefore, it is important to identify factors responsible for childhood leprosy in high endemic zones. The aim to study clinico-epidemiology of childhood leprosy at a tertiary care center in central India.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of childhood leprosy cases attending the Dermatology Department of LSLAM Medical College and Hospital, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh from January 2022 to December 2023 was conducted. The socio-demographic data, treatment history, contact history, site of skin lesions, nerve involvement, clinical classification, presence or absence of lepra reaction and disabilities, were taken from the Leprosy Register of the hospital. The data obtained was tabulated in Microsoft excel and analysed.
Result: A total of 291 cases of leprosy were registered during the study period of 2 years, among which 22 cases were that of childhood leprosy (7.56%). There were 9 males (40.9%) and 13 females (59%). Majority of patients in our study (77.2%) belonged to the age group of 11-17 years. Most of the patients belonged to rural areas. Only 3 patients had a definite history of contact with leprosy patients in their household. Trunk was the commonest site involved. The ulnar nerve was the most common nerve affected. A total of 81.8% patients were suffering from borderline tuberculoid leprosy, while tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy was observed in 9% and 4.54% cases of childhood leprosy.
Conclusion: The childhood leprosy cases in our study are suggestive of increased transmission of leprosy. This study highlights the need for targeted leprosy control activities at high endemic states in India.