Clinical and epidemiological profile and diagnostic criteria of leprosy patients of HCFMRP-USP during 2010-2015

Abstract

Hansen's disease is a long-lasting infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Brazil is the second country in number of cases, after India. The diagnosis is essentially clinical, made through anamnesis and the dermatological examination on the detection of wounds and or skin areas with changes in sensitivity and impairment of peripheral nerves. Even so, the diagnosis in many regions of Brazil is slow, around one year after onset of symptoms. Many factors such as not trained professionals to detect the diasease, the lack of information about signs and symptoms and the late demand for health services, become conditions that influence the late diagnosis. The objective of the work is to trace the epidemiological and laboratory profile of patients treated at the Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), during the period of 2010-2015, by means of descriptive statistical analysis, assessing the sensitivity of laboratory tests required to confirm the diagnosis of leprosy. (AU)