02523nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001600058653001700074653001900091653001200110653001600122653001500138100001500153700001200168700001400180700001400194700001900208245011500227856006800342520185700410022001402267       2023                            d  bElsevier BV10aDermatology10aEpidemiology10aHealth profile10aLeprosy10aHanseníase10aPrevalence1 aMoraes PCD1 aEidt LM1 aKoehler A1 aRansan LG1 aScrofeneker ML00aEpidemiological characteristics of leprosy from 2000 to 2019 in a state with low endemicity in southern Brazil  uhttps://www.anaisdedermatologia.org.br/en-pdf-S03650596230009093 a<p><strong>Background:&nbsp;</strong>Leprosy is an infectious and contagious disease caused by&nbsp;Mycobacterium leprae&nbsp;and is mainly characterized by lesions in the skin and peripheral nerves. In Brazil, it is a public health problem due to its high endemicity. However, the state of Rio Grande do Sul presents low endemicity of this disease.</p>

<p><strong>Objective:&nbsp;</strong>To characterize the epidemiological profile of leprosy in the state of Rio Grande do Sul from 2000 to 2019.</p>

<p><strong>Methods:&nbsp;</strong>This was a retrospective observational study. Epidemiological data were collected from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN,&nbsp;Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação).</p>

<p><strong>Results:&nbsp;</strong>Among the 497 municipalities in the state, 357 (71.8%) registered cases of leprosy in the assessed period, with an average of 212 (81.5%) new cases per year. The average detection rate was 1.61 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The male sex was predominant (51.9%) and the mean age was 50.4 years. Regarding the epidemiological clinical profile; 79.0% of the patients were multibacillary; 37.5% presented the borderline clinical form; 16% had grade 2 physical disability at diagnosis and bacilloscopy was positive in 35.4% of cases. As for treatment, 73.8% of the cases were treated with the standard multibacillary therapeutic regimen.</p>

<p><strong>Study limitations:&nbsp;</strong>There were missing/inconsistent data in the database available.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions:&nbsp;</strong>The findings observed in this study indicate that the state presents a low endemicity profile of the disease and these results can support adequate health policies relevant to the reality of Rio Grande do Sul, inserted in a national scenario of highly endemic leprosy.</p>
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