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. 2014 Oct 31;63(43):969-72.

Incidence of Hansen's Disease--United States, 1994-2011

Leisha Nolen, Dana Haberling, David Scollard, Richard Truman, Alfonso Rodriguez-Lainz, Laura Blum, David Blaney; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Incidence of Hansen's Disease--United States, 1994-2011

Leisha Nolen et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. .

Abstract

Hansen's disease (HD), or leprosy, is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and is reportable in many states. It is a chronic disease affecting the skin and nerves, commonly presenting as pale or reddish skin patches with diminished sensation. Without treatment, it can progress to a severely debilitating disease with nerve damage, tissue destruction, and functional loss. An important factor in limiting HD morbidity is early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy. Because HD is rare, clinicians in the United States are often unfamiliar with it; however, HD continues to cause morbidity in the United States. To better characterize at-risk U.S. populations, HD trends during 1994-2011 were evaluated by reviewing records from the National Hansen's Disease Program (NHDP). When the periods 1994-1996 and 2009-2011 were compared, a decline in the rate for new diagnoses from 0.52 to 0.43 per million was observed. The rate among foreign-born persons decreased from 3.66 to 2.29, whereas the rate among U.S.-born persons was 0.16 in both 1994-1996 and 2009-2011. Delayed diagnosis was more common among foreign-born persons. Clinicians throughout the United States should familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of HD and understand that HD can occur in the United States.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Rate of new diagnoses of Hansen’s disease, by U.S. birth status — United States, 1994–2011
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Period from year of symptom onset to Hansen’s disease diagnosis, by place of birth — United States, 1994–2011* * The horizontal line inside each box represents the median, the diamond indicates the mean number of years, and the top and bottom of the box are the first and third quartile. The whiskers are extended to 1.5 and 3.5 quartiles. The dots represent individual outliers. The mean period from symptom onset to diagnosis for foreign-born persons with onset before entering the United States is statistically different from the mean period for foreign-born persons with onset the same year or after entry and the mean period for U.S.-born persons (p<0.001).
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