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. 2021 May 31:9:666307.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.666307. eCollection 2021.

Factors Influencing Leprosy Incidence: A Comprehensive Analysis of Observations in Wenshan of China, Nepal, and Other Global Epidemic Areas

Yu-Ye Li  1   2 , Sunaula Shakya  1   2 , Heng Long  3 , Lian-Fa Shen  3 , Yi-Qun Kuang  2   4
Affiliations

Factors Influencing Leprosy Incidence: A Comprehensive Analysis of Observations in Wenshan of China, Nepal, and Other Global Epidemic Areas

Yu-Ye Li et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Leprosy remains endemic in some regions and is a global health concern. However, the possible causes and risk factors of the disease remain unclear. Data in Wenshan, China were collected from the Wenshan Institute of Dermatology (1986-2015); data in Nepal were obtained from the Leprosy Control Division, Department of Health Services, Nepal (2011 to 2015); and data from Indonesia, India, and Brazil were collected from WHO records. We assessed the epidemiological trends of leprosy in Wenshan and compared the features of possible causes and risk factors with those of other countries. We then performed a descriptive and statistical analysis to make our study more purposeful and definitive. A total of 3,376 cases were detected in Wenshan from 1986 to 2015. The overall prevalence rate (PR) of leprosy presented a decreasing trend with a peak (4.9/10,000 population) in 1986. The detection of new leprosy cases was higher in males than in females. Visible deformity increased every year since 2005 with a disability of 34.8% in 2015 among new cases. In Nepal, 2,461 leprosy patients received multi-drug therapy (MDT) in 2015 which corresponded to the PR of 0.89/10,000 population. Geographic latitude and socio-economic situations appeared to be the main causes of leprosy, and the healthcare condition was an important factor associated with leprosy incidence. The introduction of MDT effectively reduced leprosy prevalence worldwide. Wenshan (China), Nepal, and other countries share similarities in various aspects with respect to socio-cultural features, geographical distribution, environmental factors, and economic situation, which may contribute to leprosy being endemic in these areas.

Keywords: endemic; epidemiology; leprosy; prevalence rate; risk factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The prevalence rate and disability rate of leprosy in Wenshan. The lined dots (A) indicate the prevalence rate (/10,000) of leprosy in Wenshan from 1986 to 2015. The lined squares (B) represent the disability rate of new leprosy cases in Wenshan from 1986 to 2015.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The case numbers among different grades of disabled children. The red bar indicates the case number of female children with different disability grades. The red bar indicates the case number of male children with different grade disability.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of prevalence rate and intervention strategies of leprosy between Wenshan and the other four countries. The red arrows represent the prevention and control activities conducted in different countries or regions.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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