Profile of the leprosy endemic in the district of Murrupula, Nampula, Mozambique: A population-based study

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Gabriela de Cássia Ribeiro, Daniele dos Santos Lages, Ana Thereza Chaves Lages, Vânia Brito de Souza, Abdoulaye Marega, Francisco Carlos Félix Lana, Manoel Otávio da Costa Rocha
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2023
• Subjects: Leprosy; Epidemiology; Public health; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0321-2022; https://doaj.org/article/57caa6b3d5854b249cd9ab328166ce3b

ABSTRACT Background: Leprosy is a neglected chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae, that is curable. The magnitude of the disease and severity of the debilitation it causes renders leprosy a public health problem. This study aimed to analyze the endemic profile of leprosy in the Murrupula district and evaluate the socioeconomic, clinical, and serological profiles of leprosy contacts. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients with leprosy diagnosed between 2013 and 2017 and their household and community contacts was conducted in Murrupula District, Nampula Province, Mozambique. Interviews, simplified dermatoneurological examinations, Mycobacterium leprae flow (ML Flow) tests, and Mitsuda tests were performed. Results: Most of the leprosy cases were multibacillary. The patients had some degree of physical disability. ML Flow positivity was more common in household contacts of the patients diagnosed with leprosy and in community individuals who spontaneously presented for testing. In total, 17 patients were diagnosed with leprosy. Conclusions: This study revealed an active chain of transmission, hidden prevalence, and operational deficiencies in leprosy surveillance and care. The results suggest that the implementation of a public health policy for leprosy prevention and control in Nampula Province is necessary. In future, the possibility of expanding the policy to the entire country should be considered.