Indian journal of leprosy最新文献

In this study, the factors affecting functional outcomes of opponens replacement in median nerve paralysis in leprosy, were investigated. Fifty six patients who underwent opponens transfer between 1995 and 2001 were included in the study. The average duration of follow up is 7.3 years with a range of 4-10 years. Functional assessments were done through assessment of grip strength, pinch strengths and fine manipulation and the results were interpreted using Sundararaj (1984) criteria. 76.6% had excellent or good results, 13.3% fair and 10.1% poor results. Pinch strength, grip strength and fine manipulation showed improvement after surgery. Logistic regression analysis showed that duration of paralysis had a significant independent effect on the outcome.

After integration of leprosy services into general health care services, peripheral health care workers played important role in leprosy elimination. The objectives of present study are to assess the knowledge and work performance of multi-purpose workers and it's correlation towards eradication of leprosy under national leprosy eradication programme in Satara district. The cross sectional study was conducted over a period of 6 months includes 71 Primary health centres (PHCs) and 6 Urban leprosy centres (ULCs) providing leprosy services to whole Satara district, Maharashtra. Random sampling technique was used to select study subjects (Multi-purpose workers, MPWs) and data was collected by using pre-tested semi structured proforma by personal interview method. Percentage distribution and statistical association between knowledge and work performance was analysed. More than 88.31% MPWs had good knowledge about leprosy and National leprosy eradication programme (NLEP), similarly more than 88.42% showed good work performance under NLEP in Satara district. Significant statistical association was existed between age and work experience of MPWs with their work performance under NLEP (chi2=11.2, p=0.023* and chi2=10.1, p=0.038*). Significant correlation was also observed between knowledge of MPWs about leprosy and NLEP with their work performance under NLEP (r=0.66, p=0.001*). Satara district achieved leprosy elimination which was mainly due to very good knowledge and quality work performance by multi-purpose workers.

In a potentially disabling disease like leprosy, the need for prompt diagnosis and start of treatment cannot be over-emphasized. With the advent of massive Information, Education and Communication (IEC) strategies and easy accessibility of free multi drug therapy (MDT), delay in treatment is more dependent on patient initiative and subsequent health seeking habits. To study the factors contributing to delay, a random sample of 86 new untreated leprosy patients presenting to The Leprosy Mission Community Hospital, Naini, Allahabad during 2011 were interviewed in depth with the help of a check list. 61% of patients had disability at first presentation. The most common first symptom was a hypopigmented patch. Mean delay was found to be 25.9 months. Reasons for delay varied from ignorance aboutthe symptoms and signs of the disease, monitoring of symptoms in the hope that they would disappear by themselves and lack of vigilance among local medical practitioners in the lower levels of the health system. The authors discuss the typical sequence of events that contributed to delay at each stage before finally presenting at a referral hospital. It is necessary to outline recommendations to address delay in terms of intense health education campaigns, mass communication strategies and developing a high index of suspicion among primary health care givers.

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous disease caused by Mycobacterium leproe. Leprosy once considered a taboo is still misdiagnosed and underdiagnosed. In many cases leprosy is treated as common disorders like psoriasis, pyoderma, angioedema, pre vitiligo. Leprosy can present in many diverse ways which can be confused with many treatable and non treatable, infectious and non infectious forms. Leprosy is considered on the verge of elimination. But Leprosy cases are being newly diagnosed day by day. Here we are presenting 4 atypical cases of leprosy which did not seem to have classical presentation but were diagnosed as leprosy when investigated.

We are reporting a case of thyroid gland tuberculosis presenting as a painless hard nodular swelling of the thyroid with concomitant pulmonarytuberculosis in a 53-year-old adult diabetic male. Fine needle aspiration cytology showed epitheloid cell granuloma without any acid fast bacillus. He made an uneventful recovery with anti tuberculous drugs. Though rare, tuberculosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of nodular or diffuse enlargement of thyroid gland.

Seventy four patients, who underwent tibialis posterior transfer between 1960 and 1970 at the Schieffelin Leprosy Research & Training Centre, were reviewed more than 10 years follow up. Sixty four patients (86.5%) improved from a high stepping gait to a heel toe gait. The foot at rest position and the range of movement which were seen after surgery were retained. Postoperative complications were minimal. Interosseous method was better than the circumtibial. Tibilais posterior tendon transfer has served the gait and foot function in the long term.

Histoid leprosy is a variant of lepromatous leprosy characterized by cutaneous and/or subcutaneous nodules and plaques present over an apparently normal skin with unique histopathology and characteristic bacterial morphology. Reactions are uncommon in histoid leposy. Our patient developedtype 2 reaction after initiating MDT for leprosy.

It is a well known fact that reactions and nerve function impairment (NFI) account for majority of disabilities and morbidities in leprosy. Steroids are the principal agents administered for treatment of reactions and NFI. In this study, we compared the efficacy of two regimens namely high dose (60 mg) regimen tapered over 28 weeks and low dose (40 mg) regimen tapered over 22 weeks in treatment of reactions and early NFI as regards to incidence of recurrence of reactions in 209 patients. Concerns about the side-effects of steroids were also addressed byfollowing a strict pre-steroid investigation protocol. We observed that the low dose regimen was associated with a higher incidence of recurrence (48.3%) as compared to high dose regimen (16%) signifying the efficacy of longer duration of therapy with a higher starting dose. No patient developed side-effects which necessitated withdrawal of steroids. Early detection with prompt and adequate therapy with proper dose and duration is the key to reduce recurrence of reactions and to minimize deformities due to reactions and NFI in leprosy.

Leprosy and tuberculosis (TB) both are still rampant in India. Leprosy predominantly presents through skin manifestations whereas cutaneous manifestations of TB though not so frequent but are not rare. Lupus vulgaris (LV), the commonest of all cutaneous manifestations of TB, mimics leprosy very closely and may prompt the examiner to misdiagnose leprosy, especially, by health workers (HW), in a field situation, where leprosy is diagnosed and treated on clinical basis alone as per NLEP guidelines. Because of existing stigmata, such wrong diagnosis can put the patient and the party under psychological stress and creates unnecessary complications.

People who had leprosy stay away from work and have difficulty of employability and to perform their functions or retire early. This study aimed at determining whether there is a relationship between profession/occupation and limitations in activities. This was a cross-sectional study that used the SALSA scale (Screening of Activity Limitation and Safety Awareness) to assess limitations and to classify professions/occupations as low, medium or high risk. Of the 277 people surveyed, 50.2% were men, the mean age was 53.8 years (SD = 16.3), 62.7% had multibacillary, 59.7% had family incomes of 3 minimum wages or less, 58.5% had up to 6 years schooling and 57% did not have paid jobs. As for occupations, 45.8% were considered low, 39.7% medium and 12.3% high risk. Of thetotal, 49.1% had mild/moderate, 8.7% severe/very severe and 42.2% did not have any limitations. The relationship between limitations in activities and occupational risk indicated that people with severe limitations tend to have low risk occupations (p value < 0.05). The limitations associated with employability showed that most active individuals have no limitations (p value < 0.05). Hence, most people who had leprosy have low risk professions/occupations; the limitations favor a shift from high-risk activities and interfere with employability.