02678nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001000054653001200064653001700076653001200093653002000105100001200125700001100137700001000148700001200158700001000170700001200180700001000192700000900202700001100211245009700222856008900319300000900408490000700417520193800424022001402362       2024                            d  c02/202410aChina10aCluster10aEpidemiology10aleprosy10aTemporal trends1 aZhang M1 aQiao L1 aSun P1 aJiang H1 aShi Y1 aZhang W1 aMei Y1 aYu M1 aWang H00aSpatiotemporal pattern of leprosy in southwest China from 2010 to 2020: an ecological study.  uhttps://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12889-024-17859-6.pdf  a1-140 v243 a<p><strong>Background:&nbsp;</strong>Despite many efforts to control leprosy worldwide, it is still a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income regions. It has been endemic in China for thousands of years, and southwest China has the highest leprosy burden in the country.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>This observational study was conducted with all newly detected leprosy cases in southwest China from 2010 to 2020. Data were extracted from the Leprosy Management Information System (LEPMIS) database in China. The Joinpoint model was used to determine the time trends in the study area. Spatial autocorrelation statistics was performed to understand spatial distribution of leprosy cases. Spatial scan statistics was applied to identify significant clusters with high rate.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 4801 newly detected leprosy cases were reported in southwest China over 11 years. The temporal trends declined stably. The new case detection rate (NCDR) dropped from 4.38/1,000,000 population in 2010 to 1.25/1,000,000 population in 2020, with an average decrease of 12.24% (95% CI: -14.0 to - 10.5; P &lt; 0.001). Results of global spatial autocorrelation showed that leprosy cases presented clustering distribution in the study area. Most likely clusters were identified during the study period and were frequently located at Yunnan or the border areas between Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces. Secondary clusters were always located in the western counties, the border areas between Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Geographic regions characterized by clusters with high rates were considered as leprosy high-risk areas. The findings of this study could be used to design leprosy control measures and provide indications to strengthen the surveillance of high-risk areas. These areas should be prioritized in the allocation of resources.</p>
  a1471-2458