02771nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001653001400042653002100056653002100077653002200098653002000120100001400140700001300154700001300167700001200180245011300192856026000305300001000565520199000575       2024                            d10aLeprosy  10aHansen's disease10aHypopigmentation10aHyperpigmentation10aSlit skin smear1 aPrakash S1 aSaquib M1 aSharma B1 aGupta P00aDemography of Leprosy Patients Presenting with Altered Skin Pigmentation in the State Capital of North India  uhttps://www.worldwidejournals.com/international-journal-of-scientific-research-(IJSR)/recent_issues_pdf/2024/September/demography-of-leprosy-patients-presenting-with-altered-skin-pigmentation-in-the-state-capital-of-north-india_September_2024_2172580338_8  a14-173 a<p>Regardless of improvements in all branches of medical disciplines, leprosy continues to be a problem for the healthcare systems in nations like India. Our research will evaluate the demographic prole and microscopic status of patients who present with a clinical picture of leprosy, with an emphasis on altered skin pigmentation among the suburban residents of a state capital in northern India, who are visiting a tertiary care dermatology OPD. Through telephonic and verbal interviews with the patient's consent, demographic data was collected from suspected cases of leprosy. Samples were collected by slit skin smear preparation. Stained with modied Ziehl-Neelsen stain and examined at 1000 X magnication under oil emersion. Out of 44 cases only 9 were microscopically positive. The average bacteriological and morphological index was 2+ and 70% with hyperpigmentation in 2 and hypopigmentation in 7 patients. In positive patients 7 were males and 2 were females, only one patient was underweight 2 and average body mass index was 20.76 kg/m , 6 patients were urban residents and 3 patients were rural residents. Some patients arrived late due to social stigma, and many patients had irregular checkups and were not taking medications on a regular basis, resulting in failure in prognosis. Leprosy is still quite common in weaker sections of Indian society. There is still evidence of lack of awareness amongst these leprosy patients. Additionally, long treatment course leads to improper compliance to treatment as evidenced by this study. So further strengthening of the Leprosy elimination program by means of awareness and patient motivation to complete treatment course should be the main focus. Furthermore, the use of more advanced diagnostic modalities, such as PCR, which found a greater number of initial-stage cases when slit skin smear tests were negative, can enhance the low positivity rate of suspected patients by conventional microscopic methods.</p>