02385nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001653002200042653001100064653001700075653001700092653001200109653001800121100001400139700001400153700002000167700001500187700001300202700001600215245011200231856008000343300001000423490000700433520169100440       2018                            d10aAdolescent health10aBrazil10aChild health10aEpidemiology10aleprosy10aPublic health1 aCorpes EF1 aJucá NBH1 aVasconcelos ACL1 aPontes MAA1 aSilva AC1 aAlmeida PCD00a[Epidemiological analysis of leprosy in children under 15 years at a reference center in region of Brazil].  uhttp://www.adolescenciaesaude.com/detalhe_artigo.asp?id=747&idioma=Espanhol  a65-720 v153 a<p><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> Analysis of the distribution of leprosy cases in children under 15 years, according to clinical and epidemiological characteristics.<br />
<strong>METHODS:</strong> Analytical and retrospective study with a quantitative approach of case type series. Samples consisting of 313 records of new cases of leprosy in the period from 2009 to 2015. The data analysis included descriptive statistical tests, relative frequencies and averages, considering the value of p ≤ 0.05. To determine the association between categorical variables, the chi-square test (χ2) and Fisher-Freeman-Halton test were used.<br />
<strong>RESULTS:</strong> In this study, the majority of the children and adolescents were male (57.7%), with ages between 10 to 14 years old (66.1%) and 77.7% were brown. The tuberculoid clinical form predominated (39.6%), followed by dimorphous (39%), undetermined form (11.7%) and virchowian (9.7%). Regarding the operational classification, 57.3% cases were paucibacillary and 42.7% multibacillary. The cases' analysis revealed that the tuberculoid clinical form as the most frequent among the age group from 1 to 9 years (52.8%), and the dimorphic from 10 to 14 years old (41.8%). These differences were statistically significant (p = 0.004). In relation to the degree of incapacity, 24 cases (7.9%) were observed, which indicates delay in diagnosis.<br />
<strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The prevalence of children and adolescents with leprosy is still high. To this end, it is necessary to train health professionals so that they can make an early and adequate diagnosis, as well as implement health education actions for the population.</p>