Epidemiological pattern of leprosy in Ethiopia: a review of the control programmes
1990; British Leprosy Relief Association; Volume: 61; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.5935/0305-7518.19900027
ISSN2162-8807
AutoresDaniel N. Berhe, RT Haimanot, Temesgen Belay Tedla, T. TADDESSE,
Tópico(s)Malaria Research and Control
ResumoLeprosy control started in a limited area of Ethiopia in 1956.Extended covera g e of the country was achieved in the early seventies.Review of the data from the control proj ects since 1976 revealed that leprosy is a disease of the Ethiopian hi g hlands where prevalence rates as hi g h as 7 per thousand have been recorded in some provinces, while the cumulative national avera g e for the last 13 years was 2•6 per thousand.The paucibacillary form was predominant.However, unlike other African countries, a relatively hi g h proportion of multibacillary leprosy was fo und in Ethiopia.The male-to-female ratio was 2: I with the hi g hest prevalence in the 15-44 years a g e bracket.Detection rates for new cases have shown a g radual decline since 1982, a year before multiple dru g therapy (MDT) was introduced into the country.For the last 5 years the number of new cases has stabilized at 4700/year.These trends probably reflect a g eneral reduction in the prevalence of leprosy in the country, while the conspicuous decline in 1982 is most likely related to dischar g e of cases durin g screenin g before MDT.The new villa g ization policy of Ethiopia with its effective reor g anization of the popUlations is believed to make control pro g rammes and supervision of MDT easier and presumably more effective.Similarly, more reliable prevalence and incidence studies could be undertaken with success.
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