02424nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001100054653001700065653001200082100001300094700001400107700001400121700001600135700001700151700001700168700001500185700001600200245005800216856008300274300001100357490000700368520176900375022001402144       2021                            d  c10/202110aBrazil10aEpidemiology10aleprosy1 aMiguel C1 ada Mota P1 aAfonso BO1 aAgostinho F1 aCazzaniga RA1 ade Abreu MCM1 aOliveira C1 aRodrigues W00aLeprosy morbidity and mortality in Brazil: 2008-2018.  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1413867021001070?via%3Dihub  a1016380 v253 a<p><strong>INTRODUCTION: </strong>Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This study aimed to understand the distribution and impact of Hansen's disease in different regions of Brazil and the outcome of cases in recent years.</p>

<p><strong>METHODOLOGY: </strong>An ecological study was conducted throughout the Brazilian territory for 11 years (2008-2018). The mortality rates, new cases of the disease, and proportion of physical disability and cure were assessed. Data were obtained using DATASUS. GraphPad Excel and "Prisma" programs were used for tabulation and data processing. To present an accurate perspective from all regions, the data were normalized according to the population.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Overall, the results demonstrated a significant reduction in the number of leprosy cases in Brazil over the last decade (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). North and Midwest regions showed higher mortality rates standardized by age (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). The largest number of cases were found in Tocantins and Mato Grosso, inner states of Brazil (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). The cure rates in the Southeast and South regions were negatively correlated with the mortality rate in these regions (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05).</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Actions to control the spread and unfavorable outcomes of leprosy have been effective in the last decade in most Brazilian states. On the other hand, the states of Tocantins and Mato Grosso, in the North and Midwest regions of Brazil, need to intensify the fight against the disease. Notwithstanding, measures against leprosy should continue and be intensified in regions with greater aggravations, aiming at an effective homogeneous control of the disease.</p>
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