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RESUMEN Introducción: lepra (enfermedad de Hansen) es una patología infecciosa desatendida que afecta piel y nervios periféricos, desencadenando neuropatías y complicaciones como deformidades y discapacidades. Objetivos: determinar características epidemiológicas y clínicas de pacientes con lepra en el Centro de Especialidades Dermatológicas del Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social de Paraguay, de enero 2021 a diciembre 2022. Metodología: estudio descriptivo, observacional, retrospectivo, de corte transversal. La gestión y análisis de datos se realizó en planilla electrónica (Excel del programa Microsoft Office 365 versión 2405), luego se realizó estadística descriptiva. Resultados: se diagnosticaron 123 casos de lepra, 45 (36,58 %) eran mujeres y 78 (63,42 %) varones; las edades estaban entre 17 y 86 años, el rango más afectado fue de 41 a 50 años. Eran lepra multibacilar 112 casos (91,06%). El signo más frecuente fue la placa infiltrada, presentada en 88 casos (71,54%). 58 pacientes (47,15%) presentaron reacciones lepromatosas, siendo, 31 casos de tipo 1 (53,45 %). 34 casos (27,64%) presentaron discapacidad grado 1 y 10 casos (8,13%) discapacidad grado 2. Conclusión: el perfil del paciente con lepra fue del sexo masculino entre 41 a 50 años, siendo la mayoría casos multibacilares. Es fundamentales el diagnóstico precoz y el tratamiento adecuado para reducir la carga de la enfermedad y las discapacidades.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a neglected infectious disease that affects skin and peripheral nerves, triggering neuropathies and complications such as deformities and disabilities. Objective: determine epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with Leprosy in the Dermatological Specialties Center of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay, from January 2021 to December 2022. Methodology: descriptive, observational, retrospective, cross-sectional study. Data management and analysis was carried out in an electronic spreadsheet (Excel from Microsoft Office 365 version 2405), then descriptive statistics were performed. Results: 123 cases of leprosy were diagnosed, 45 (36.58 %) were women and 78 (63.42 %) were men; the ages were between 17 and 86 years, the most affected range was 41 to 50 years. 112 cases (91.06 %) were multibacillary leprosy. The most frequent sign was infiltrated plaque, present in 88 cases (71.54 %). 58 patients (47.15 %) presented lepromatous reactions, 31 cases of type 1 (53.45 %). 34 cases (27.64 %) presented grade 1 disability and 10 cases (8.13 %) grade 2 disability. Conclusion: The profile of the patient with leprosy was male between 41 and 50 years, the majority being multibacillary cases. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment are essential to reduce the burden of the disease and disabilities.

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Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that has a slow evolution and is characterized by dermatoneurological involvement. The health challenges surrounding this disease are closely related to the stigma that results from the physical disabilities it causes. This is due to its high rate of late diagnosis and the peculiar deformities that occur in its advanced stage. Evaluate the clinical and epidemiological aspects of patients with plantar lesions who were treated for leprosy in a dermatology referral unit. This is a cross-sectional exploratory field study that was conducted at the Reference Center in Tropical Dermatology and Venereology Alfredo da Matta (FUHAM), in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. We evaluated 36 patients with disabilities as a result of leprosy and who had plantar lesions. The most common ulcer site was the medial region of the plantar surface, which presented dryness and maceration with yellowish seropurulent exudate, fibrinous tissue and grade 2 depth. The study made it possible to observe the evolution of plantar ulcers resulting from the disease process, then evaluate them and discuss recommendations regarding the treatment and prevention of this type of physical disability.

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Childhood leprosy, which affects children up to 14 years old, is characterized by a delay in diagnosis since it is usually confused with other dermatoses. Its presence in a child is a relevant epidemiological indicator since it signals active disease transmission. We present 4 patients between 5 and 14 years old who attended a public hospital in Buenos Aires -two patients with borderline tuberculoid leprosy, one with lepromatous leprosy, and one with indeterminate leprosy.The World Health Organization provides therapy for people between 10 and 14 but does not consider children under 10. This difficulty implies adapting the dosage and pharmaceutical form to each patient under this age. Finally, it should be noted that the diagnosis of the patients led to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease in adult cohabitants.

La lepra infantil, aquella que afecta a niños de hasta 14 años, se caracteriza por la demora en su diagnóstico, ya que habitualmente es confundida con otras dermatosis. Su presencia en un niño es un indicador epidemiológico relevante, dado que señala la transmisión activa de la enfermedad. Presentamos 4 pacientes de entre 5 y 14 años asistidos en un hospital público de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Dos pacientes presentaron lepra borderline tuberculoide; uno, lepra lepromatosa; y otra, lepra indeterminada. La Organización Mundial de la Salud facilita la terapéutica para la población entre 10 y 14 años, pero no contempla a los menores de 10 años. Esta dificultad implica adecuar la dosis y la forma farmacéutica a cada paciente menor de la edad referida. Finalmente, es de destacar que el diagnóstico de los pacientes llevó al diagnóstico y tratamiento de la enfermedad en convivientes adultos.

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To evaluate the prevalence of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis in road killed armadillos identified along Brazilian regions, samples of liver, spleen, muscle, ear, nose and tail were collected on highways from 78 animals. The armadillos were of four different species, Cabassous tatouay, Dasypus novemcinctus, Dasypus septemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus. After DNA extraction from two tissues, specific primers were used for the detection of each pathogen using SYBR green qualitative Real-Time PCR, and amplicons were sequenced. The species with the highest prevalence was D. novemcinctus, mainly in the Central-West, South, and Southeast regions of Brazil. We detected M. leprae DNA in 32 (41 %) of the 78 individuals and M. lepromatosis DNA was not identified in any of the examined samples. The zoonotic component of leprosy may play a role in the transmission of the disease in endemic areas in which environmental conditions and contact with reservoirs must be investigated.

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BACKGROUND: The treatment of leprosy reactions (LRs) involves thalidomide, corticosteroids, and other immunomodulatory medications. This study evaluated the effect of these treatments on the association between periodontitis and LRs, as well as factors associated with LRs. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 283 individuals followed at a leprosy outpatient clinic in Brazil. The case group was comprised of 158 individuals presenting type 1 or type 2 LRs, and the control group of 125 leprosy individuals without reactions. A complete oral examination was performed to diagnose periodontitis, the independent variable. Antireaction medication used was collected from medical records, and participants were classified according to the use of prednisone and/or thalidomide, time of use, or non-use of medication. Socioeconomic-demographic, clinical, and lifestyle covariables were collected by interview. Unconditional logistic regression analysis by subgroups evaluated the effect of antireaction medication on the association between periodontitis and LRs, estimating the odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval (OR; 95% CI). RESULTS: A relationship between periodontitis and LRs was observed only in the subgroup using the association prednisone and thalidomide: ORadjusted = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.11-0.95. Conversely, more severe periodontal clinical parameters were observed in cases versus controls. Several socioeconomic, health conditions, and lifestyle factors were associated with the presence of LRs. CONCLUSIONS: Although periodontal disease indicators were worse among the cases, the findings showed a negative relationship between periodontitis and LRs in individuals receiving associated prednisone and thalidomide. These medications appear to influence the inflammatory cascade between diseases, modifying and masking the manifestations of periodontitis.

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The in vitro cultivation of M. leprae has not been possible since it was described as causing leprosy, and the limitation of animal models for clinical aspects makes studies on leprosy and bacteria-human host interaction a challenge. Our aim was to standardize the ex vivo skin model (hOSEC) to maintenance and study of M. leprae as an alternative animal model. Bacillary suspensions were inoculated into human skin explants and sustained in DMEM medium for 60 days. Explants were evaluated by RT-PCR-16SrRNA and cytokine gene expression. The viability and infectivity of bacilli recovered from explants (D28 and D60) were evaluated using the Shepard's model. All explants were RT-PCR-16SrRNA positive. The viability and infectivity of recovered bacilli from explants, analyzed after 5 months of inoculation in mice, showed an average positivity of 31%, with the highest positivity in the D28 groups (80%). Furthermore, our work showed different patterns in cytokine gene expression (TGF-ß, IL-10, IL-8, and TNF-α) in the presence of alive or dead bacilli. Although changes can be made to improve future experiments, our results have demonstrated that it is possible to use the hOSEC to maintain M. leprae for 60 days, interacting with the host system, an important step in the development of experimental models for studies on the biology of the bacillus, its interactions, and drug susceptibility.

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BACKGROUND: The high levels of recent transmission of leprosy worldwide demonstrate the necessity of epidemiologic surveillance to understand and control its dissemination. Brazil remains the second in number of cases around the world, indicating active transmission of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) in the population. At this moment, there is a consensus that the bacillus is transmitted by inter-human contact, however, different serologic, molecular, and histopathological approaches indicate the existence of non-human transmission sources. METHODS AND RESULTS: The qPCR assay was used to amplify the molecular targets 16S RNAr and RLEP, in samples of liver, spleen, and ear of wild animals belonging to Didelphimorphia and Rodentia orders, in highly endemic areas of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The RLEP repetitive sequence was positive in 202 (89.0%) samples, with 96 (42.3%) of these also being positive for the 16S gene. Regarding the collection sites, it was observed that the animals were found in areas profoundly deforested, close to urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that wild animals can play an important role in the maintenance of M. leprae in endemic regions with major anthropic action in Brazil. Therefore, integrating human, animal, and environmental health care with the One Health initiative is highly efficient for the development of effective strategies to contain and control leprosy in Brazil.

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ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify and synthesize, from the literature, the impacts of physical disability caused by leprosy on the quality of life of individuals receiving care within the Health Care Network. Methods: this is a scoping review conducted following the JBI recommendations. The databases used in the search included the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Embase, Leprosy Information Services, and Google Scholar. Results: 1690 documents were identified, of which 36 were included in the review. Physical disability caused by leprosy affects the quality of life in the areas of daily activities, socioeconomic aspects, psychological well-being, pain, and overall well-being. Conclusions: we identified the impairments caused by physical disability in the quality of life, highlighting the need for prevention, promotion, and rehabilitation actions, such as screening, case management, and health education.

RESUMEN Objetivos: identificar y sintetizar, a partir de la literatura, los impactos de la discapacidad física causada por la lepra en la calidad de vida de los individuos atendidos en la Red de Atención a la Salud. Métodos: se trata de una revisión de alcance, realizada de acuerdo con las recomendaciones del JBI. Las bases de datos utilizadas en la búsqueda fueron el Sistema de Análisis y Recuperación de Literatura Médica en Línea, la Biblioteca Cochrane, Web of Science, Lilacs, el Índice Cumulativo de Literatura en Enfermería y Ciencias Afines, Scopus, Embase, Leprosy Information Services y Google Scholar. Resultados: se identificaron 1690 documentos, de los cuales 36 fueron parte de la revisión. La discapacidad física causada por la lepra afecta la calidad de vida en términos de actividades de la vida diaria, socioeconómicas, psicológicas, dolor y bienestar general. Conclusiones: se identificaron los compromisos causados por la discapacidad física en la calidad de vida, indicando la necesidad de acciones de prevención, promoción y rehabilitación, como el seguimiento, el acompañamiento de los casos y la educación en salud.

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar e sintetizar, a partir da literatura, os impactos da incapacidade física causada pela hanseníase na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos atendidos na Rede de Atenção à Saúde. Métodos: trata-se de uma revisão de escopo, realizada de acordo com as recomendações do JBI. As bases de dados utilizadas na busca foram Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cochrane library, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Embase, Leprosy Information Services e Google Scholar. Resultados: foram identificados 1690 documentos, dos quais 36 compuseram a revisão. A incapacidade física causada pela hanseníase impacta na qualidade de vida no âmbito de atividades de vida diária, socioeconômico, psicológico, da dor e no bem-estar geral. Conclusões: foram identificados os comprometimentos causados pela incapacidade física na qualidade de vida, indicando a necessidade de ações de prevenção, promoção e reabilitação, como rastreamento, acompanhamento dos casos e educação em saúde.

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BACKGROUND The impact of nutrient availability on the survival of Mycobacterium leprae and the development of leprosy remains largely unknown. Iron is essential for the survival and replication of pathogens, while vitamin D has been involved with pathogen elimination and immunoregulation. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the influence of dietary iron and vitamin D supplementation and restriction on the inflammatory response of mouse immune cells in vitro. METHODS After 30 days of standard or modified diets, peritoneal cells and splenocytes were stimulated with the alive microorganisms and sonicated antigens of M. leprae, respectively. The production of inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and cell proliferation were evaluated. FINDINGS In peritoneal cells, vitamin D supplementation and iron restriction reduced the production of IL-6 and TNF in response to M. leprae, while splenocytes presented a reduction in TNF production under the same conditions. Lower levels of IFN-γ and TNF were observed in both iron-supplemented and iron-deficient splenocytes. Besides, iron supplementation also reduced the production of IL-6 and IL-10. No changes in the production of reactive oxygen species or in cell proliferation were observed related to different diets. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data point to an interference of the status of these nutrients on the interaction between the host and M. leprae, with the potential to interfere with the progression of leprosy. Our results highlight the impact of nutritional aspects on this neglected disease, which is significantly associated with unfavourable social conditions.

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No Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) a resistência aos antimicrobianos dapsona (DDS), rifampicina (RIF) e ofloxacina (OFLO) se dá, primariamente, pela ocorrência de mutações em sequências conservadas dos genes folP1, rpoB e gyrA. Na rotina do Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima, muitos pacientes que apresentam clínica compatível com recidiva a qual poderia estar associada a resistência, apresentam perfil de suscetibilidade sensível a DDS, RIF e OFLO pelos mecanismos conhecidos. Existem vários outros mecanismos de resistência, bem como outros genes que podem ser pesquisados. Na rede de vigilância de resistência no Brasil, para fluorquinolonas, apenas as mutações em gyrA são pesquisadas na rotina, e, portanto, não temos dados sobre mutações em gyrB. No gene gyrB as mutações nos códons 214 (Val214Gly), 464 (Asp464Asn) e 503 (Thr503Ile) foram associadas com resistência à OFLO em M. leprae. O objetivo deste projeto é a detecção de mutações em gyrB por sequenciamento direto de DNA genômico de M. leprae. Para isso, foram utilizadas 52 amostras de DNA do banco de amostras do ILSL selecionadas entre julho de 2021 a dezembro de 2023, as quais já foram testadas por sequenciamento direto na rotina de investigação de resistência em hanseníase do ILSL para mutações já descritas. Foram utilizados dois pares de primers para amplificar e sequenciar as amostras pela metodologia de sequenciamento Sanger. As sequências foram analisadas utilizando-se o software Mega11. O Par 1, o qual permite avaliar polimorfismo no códon 214, enquanto que o Par 3, nos códons 464 e 503. As amostras eram em maioria (53,84%) do sexo masculino, 92,19% maiores de 20 anos com média da idade de 51 anos. Procedentes de vários estados brasileiros, com destaque para SP e MT. Cerca de 92,30% dos casos (48/52) eram multibacilares e 51,92% das amostras provenientes de pacientes com hanseníase virchowiana (MHV). Do total de casos, 55,70% foram associados a situações de falência terapêutica, seguida por casos novos, 19,23% e 11,54% de casos de recidiva da doença. A maioria (59,61%) fez PQT/MB, destes cerca de 74,19% trataram por 24 meses. O sequenciamento do gene gyrB pelo Par 1 foi eficiente em aproximadamente 98,07% dos isolados de M. leprae e pelo Par 3, 69,23%. Entretanto, nenhuma amostra foi polimórfica no gene gyrB e uma amostra apresentou polimorfismo não relacionado a droga resistência no códon 207 (Ile207Ile). Nossos resultados corroboram com a literatura, mostrando que mutações em gyrB é pouco frequente em M. leprae.

In Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), resistance to the antimicrobials dapsone (DDS), rifampicin (RIF), and ofloxacin (OFLO) primarily occurs due to mutations in conserved sequences of the folP1, rpoB, and gyrA genes. In the routine at the Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, many patients showing symptoms compatible with relapse, potentially associated with resistance, exhibit susceptibility profiles to DDS, RIF, and OFLO through known mechanisms. Numerous other resistance mechanisms and genes remain unexplored. In the Brazilian resistance surveillance network for fluoroquinolones, only gyrA mutations are routinely investigated, leaving a gap in data regarding gyrB mutations. Mutations at codons 214 (Val214Gly), 464 (Asp464Asn), and 503 (Thr503Ile) in the gyrB gene have been associated with OFLO resistance in M. leprae. The aim of this project is to detect gyrB mutations through direct genomic DNA sequencing of M. leprae. For this purpose, 52 DNA samples from the ILSL sample bank, selected between July 2021 and December 2023, were utilized. These samples had previously undergone routine direct sequencing at the ILSL for known mutations. Two primer pairs were employed to amplify and sequence the samples using Sanger sequencing methodology. Sequences were analyzed using Mega11 software. Primer 1, assessing polymorphism at codon 214, and Primer 3, targeting codons 464 and 503. The majority of samples (53.84%) were male, with 92.19% over 20 years old and an average age of 51 years. Originating from various Brazilian states, notably SP and MT, approximately 92.30% of cases (48/52) were multibacillary, and 51.92% of samples were from patients with virchowian leprosy (MHV). Among the cases, 55.70% were associated with therapeutic failure, followed by new cases (19.23%) and relapse cases (11.54%). The majority (59.61%) underwent PQT/MB treatment, with around 74.19% treated for 24 months. Sequencing of the gyrB gene using Primer 1 was effective in approximately 98.07% of M. leprae isolates, while Primer 3 showed efficiency in 69.23%. However, no sample exhibited polymorphism in the gyrB gene, and one sample presented non-drug resistance-related polymorphism at codon 207 (Ile207Ile). Our results align with the literature, demonstrating that gyrB mutations are infrequent in M. leprae.

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BACKGROUND: In recent years, the mitochondria/immune system interaction has been proposed, so that variants of mitochondrial genome and levels of heteroplasmy might deregulate important metabolic processes in fighting infections, such as leprosy. METHODS: We sequenced the whole mitochondrial genome to investigate variants and heteroplasmy levels, considering patients with different clinical forms of leprosy and household contacts. After sequencing, a specific pipeline was used for preparation and bioinformatics analysis to select heteroplasmic variants. RESULTS: We found 116 variants in at least two of the subtypes of the case group (Borderline Tuberculoid, Borderline Lepromatous, Lepromatous), suggesting a possible clinical significance to these variants. Notably, 15 variants were exclusively found in these three clinical forms, of which five variants stand out for being missense (m.3791T > C in MT-ND1, m.5317C > A in MT-ND2, m.8545G > A in MT-ATP8, m.9044T > C in MT-ATP6 and m.15837T > C in MT-CYB). In addition, we found 26 variants shared only by leprosy poles, of which two are characterized as missense (m.4248T > C in MT-ND1 and m.8027G > A in MT-CO2). CONCLUSION: We found a significant number of variants and heteroplasmy levels in the leprosy patients from our cohort, as well as six genes that may influence leprosy susceptibility, suggesting for the first time that the mitogenome might be involved with the leprosy process, distinction of clinical forms and severity. Thus, future studies are needed to help understand the genetic consequences of these variants.

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BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium leprae is an intracellular bacillus that causes leprosy, a neglected disease that affects macrophages and Schwann cells. Leprosy reactions are acute inflammatory responses to mycobacterial antigens, classified as type1 (T1R), a predominant cellular immune response, or type2 (T2R), a humoral phenomenon, leading to a high number of bacilli in infected cells and nerve structures. Xenophagy is a type of selective autophagy that targets intracellular bacteria for lysosomal degradation; however, its immune mechanisms during leprosy reactions are still unclear. This review summarizes the relationship between the autophagic process and M. leprae elimination during leprosy reactions. METHODS: Three databases, PubMed/Medline (n = 91), Scopus (n = 73), and ScienceDirect (n = 124), were searched. After applying the eligibility criteria, articles were selected for independent peer reviewers in August 2023. RESULTS: From a total of 288 studies retrieved, eight were included. In multibacillary (MB) patients who progressed to T1R, xenophagy blockade and increased inflammasome activation were observed, with IL-1ß secretion before the reactional episode occurrence. On the other hand, recent data actually observed increased IL-15 levels before the reaction began, as well as IFN-γ production and xenophagy induction. CONCLUSION: Our search results showed a dichotomy in the T1R development and their relationship with xenophagy. No T2R studies were found.

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Leprosy is an infectious disease primarily caused by the obligate intracellular parasite Mycobacterium leprae. Although it has been considered eradicated in many countries, leprosy continues to be a health issue in developing nations. Besides the social stigma associated with it, individuals affected by leprosy may experience nerve damage leading to physical disabilities if the disease is not properly treated or early diagnosed. Leprosy is recognized as a complex disease wherein socioenvironmental factors, immune response, and host genetics interact to contribute to its development. Recently, a new field of study called epigenetics has emerged, revealing that the immune response and other mechanisms related to infectious diseases can be influenced by noncoding RNAs. This review aims to summarize the significant advancements concerning non-coding RNAs in leprosy, discussing the key perspectives on this novel approach to comprehending the pathophysiology of the disease and identifying molecular markers. In our view, investigations on non-coding RNAs in leprosy hold promise and warrant increased attention from researches in this field.

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Introducción: La lepra o enfermedad de Hansen es una enfermedad infectocontagiosa, crónica, causada por el bacilo Mycobacterium leprae. Es causante de neuropatía periférica, y afecta a la piel, nervios periféricos, vías aéreas superiores y ojos. El objetivo fue evaluar las características clínicas y sociodemográficas a los pacientes con Lepra que acudieron Hospital Menonita Km 81 de Itacurubi de la Cordillera en los años 2018-2022. Material y Método: Estudio observacional descriptivo. retrospectivo, de corte transversal en pacientes con Lepra del Hospital Menonita Km 81 en la ciudad de Itacurubi de la Cordillera del Departamento de Cordillera del año 2018 al 2022. Los datos se obtuvieron de la revisión de las fichas epidemiológicas de pacientes con diagnóstico de lepra en el período abarcado en un periodo de 5 años, 2018 al 2022. Resultados: Fueron reportados 286 casos de lepra en pacientes provenientes de los 18 departamentos del Paraguay. El año con más casos detectados fue el 2019 con 79 casos, siendo el departamento de Alto Paraná con mayor incidencia con 17 casos diagnosticados, seguido del año 2018 con 76 casos. La ocupación más frecuente de los pacientes fue la agricultura. El sexo más frecuente fue el masculino 203 (71%) casos con lepra. El rango de edad de mayor frecuencia fue entre 49- 63 años de edad (29,56%). El motivo de consulta más frecuente fue el de Mácula en 139 (49%). Conclusión: Se requiere aumentar la calidad de la atención primaria y el compromiso del personal de salud para el control y el diagnóstico oportuno de la Lepra en nuestro país.

Introduction: Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It causes peripheral neuropathy and affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper airways, and eyes. The objective was to evaluate the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics to patients with Leprosy who attended Mennonite Hospital Km 81 of Itacurubí de la Cordillera in the years 2018-2022 Material and Method: descriptive observational study, retrospective of cross-sectional in patients with Leprosy of the Mennonite Hospital Km 81 in the city of Itacurubi de la Cordillera of the Department of Cordillera from the year 2018 to 2022. Data were obtained from the review of epidemiological records of patients with a diagnosis of leprosy in the period covered in a period of 5 years, 2018-2022. Results: Of the 18 departments in Paraguay, 286 cases of leprosy were reported. The year with the most cases detected was 2019, with 79 cases, with the department of Alto Paraná having the highest incidence, with 17 cases diagnosed, followed by 2018 with 76 cases. Agriculture was the most common occupation. The most frequent sex was male (203 [71%] patients) with leprosy. The most frequent age range was 49-63 years (29.56%), and the most frequent reason for consultation was macular in 139 patients (49%). Conclusion: It is necessary to increase the quality of primary care and commitment of health personnel in the control and timely diagnosis of leprosy in our country.

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Objetivo: Avaliar a quantidade anual de baciloscopias para hanseníase realizadas no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) nos últimos dez anos. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo ecológico, longitudinal, retrospectivo e quantitativo, utilizando dados do Sistema de InformaçõesAmbulatoriais (SIA/SUS). A quantidade de baciloscopias para hanseníase a cada 100.000 residentes foi estimada para o Brasil e suas cinco macrorregiões, avaliada entre 2013 e 2022 com nível de significância (a) de 5%. Resultados:Mais de 1,3 milhões de baciloscopias foram notificadas nos últimos dez anos no SUS. A mediana da incidência anual foi de 67 baciloscopias para hanseníase por 100.000 residentes, sendo a máxima observada em 2013 (82) e a mínima em 2022 (46). As incidências anuais nas macrorregiões Norte, Centro-oeste e Nordeste foram significativamente superiores à estimativa nacional, enquanto no Sul e Sudeste foram inferiores (p<0,05). A tendência temporal foi considerada decrescente para a estimativa nacional (p= 0,002), com variação percentualanual de -5,6% (IC95% = -3,8%; -8,2%). Entretanto, após desconsiderar os anos da pandemia de COVID-19 (2020-2022), a tendência tornou-se estacionária (p= 0,181). Além disso, a incidência durante o período pré-pandêmico foi significativamente maior quandocomparada ao terceiro ano após o advento da pandemia em todas as macrorregiões do Brasil (p<0,05). Conclusão:Foi possível concluir que o SUS realizou um número expressivo de baciloscopias para hanseníase nos últimos dez anos, mas existem disparidades macrorregionais no Brasil, bem como um impacto significativo da pandemia de COVID-19

Objective:To evaluate the annual number of skin smear microscopies for leprosy performed in the Unified Health System (SUS) in the last decade. Methods:An ecological, longitudinal, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted using data from the Ambulatory Information System (SIA/SUS). The number of skin smear microscopies for leprosy per 100,000 residents was estimated for Brazil and its five macroregions, between 2013 and 2022, with a significance level (a) of 5%.Results:More than 1.3 million skin smear microscopies were reported in the last decade in the SUS. The median annual incidence was 67 skin smear microscopies for leprosy per 100,000 residents, with the maximum observed in 2013 (82) and the minimum in 2022 (46). Annual incidences in the North, Central-West, and Northeast macro-regions were significantly higher than the national estimate, whereas in the South and Southeast, they were lower (p <0.05). The temporal trend was considered decreasing for the national estimate (p = 0.002), with an annual percentage variation of -5.6% (95%CI = -3.8%; -8.2%). However, after disregarding the years of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2022), the trend became stationary (p = 0.181). Furthermore, the incidence during the pre-pandemic period was significantly higher compared with the third year after the advent of the pandemic in all macro-regions of Brazil (p<0.05).Conclusion:It was possible to conclude that the SUS performed a significant number of skin smear microscopies for leprosy in the last ten years, but there are macro-regional disparities in Brazil and a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

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BACKGROUND: The incidence of leprosy in children is an important indicator of the disease's tendency in the general population and suggests intense circulation and transmission of Mycobacterium leprae. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical, epidemiological characteristics and temporal dynamics of leprosy cases in children under 15 years of age from 2008 to 2018 in an endemic municipality. METHODS: A descriptive study with an analytical approach was carried out with data from leprosy cases registered in the Brazilian Information System on Notifiable Diseases for the municipality of Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Pernambuco, Brazil. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2018, 112 new cases of leprosy were registered. Most cases were classified as paucibacillary leprosy and occurred in children living in urban areas. There was no significant difference in the incidence of leprosy during the study period. Only 4.5% of the sample presented reactional episodes, but a high number of cases were not evaluated for the occurrence of reactions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show a high incidence of paucibacillary leprosy in children and adolescents, which reveals active transmission in the community and failures in the detection of new multibacillary cases among adults. Children between 10 and 14 years old are more vulnerable to M. leprae infection and mainly develop paucibacillary leprosy.

RESUMO

Leprosy is an infectious and contagious disease of slow evolution, triggered by Mycobacterium leprae. Arthritis is its third most common manifestation, after cutaneous and peripheral nerve involvement. Since musculoskeletal symptoms may be the initial presentation of the disease, it is important for health professionals to recognize its rheumatic manifestations for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, especially in endemic areas. In addition, cases of leprosy have increased globally, notably in patients undergoing treatment with TNF-α blockers and due to the increase in migration and travel of people from developing countries to developed countries. This review proposes to discuss the main scenarios of mimicry of different rheumatic diseases by leprosy, as well as the role of immunosuppressive drugs used in rheumatology practice in the treatment of reactional states and in the risk of developing the infection.

RESUMO

Introduction: Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, remains a public health concern in endemic countries, particularly in Brazil. In this study, we conducted an active surveillance campaign in the hyperendemic city of Castanhal in the northeastern part of the state of Pará using clinical signs and symptoms combined with serological and molecular tools to diagnose new cases and to identify drug resistance of circulating M. leprae strains and their distribution in the community. Methods: During an active surveillance of one week, we enrolled 318 individuals using three different strategies to enroll subjects for this study: (i) an active survey of previously treated cases from 2006 to 2016 found in the Brazil National Notifiable Disease Information System database (n = 23) and their healthy household contacts (HHC) (n = 57); (ii) an active survey of school children (SC) from two primary public schools in low-income neighborhoods (n = 178), followed by visits to the houses of these newly diagnosed SC (n = 7) to examine their HHC (n = 34) where we diagnosed additional new cases (n = 6); (iii) and those people who spontaneously presented themselves to our team or the local health center with clinical signs and/or symptoms of leprosy (n = 6) with subsequent follow-up of their HHC when the case was confirmed (n = 20) where we diagnosed two additional cases (n = 2). Individuals received a dermato-neurological examination, 5 ml of peripheral blood was collected to assess the anti-PGL-I titer by ELISA and intradermal earlobe skin scrapings were taken from HHC and cases for amplification of the M. leprae RLEP region by qPCR. Results: Anti-PGL-I positivity was highest in the new leprosy case group (52%) followed by the treated group (40.9%), HHC (40%) and lowest in SC (24.6%). RLEP qPCR from SSS was performed on 124 individuals, 22 in treated cases, 24 in newly diagnosed leprosy cases, and 78 in HHC. We detected 29.0% (36/124) positivity overall in this sample set. The positivity in treated cases was 31.8% (7/22), while in newly diagnosed leprosy cases the number of positives were higher, 45.8% (11/23) and lower in HHC at 23.7% (18/76). Whole genome sequencing of M. leprae from biopsies of three infected individuals from one extended family revealed a hypermutated M. leprae strain in an unusual case of primary drug resistance while the other two strains were drug sensitive. Discussion: This study represents the extent of leprosy in an active surveillance campaign during a single week in the city of Castanhal, a city that we have previously surveyed several times during the past ten years. Our results indicate the continuing high transmission of leprosy that includes fairly high rates of new cases detected in children indicating recent spread by multiple foci of infection in the community. An unusual case of a hypermutated M. leprae strain in a case of primary drug resistance was discovered. It also revealed a high hidden prevalence of overt disease and subclinical infection that remains a challenge for correct clinical diagnosis by signs and symptoms that may be aided using adjunct laboratory tests, such as RLEP qPCR and anti-PGL-I serology.