CLINICO-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF LEPROSY IN TERTIARY CARE INSTITUTE IN CHHATTISGARH

Abstract

INTRODUCTION – Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection. India has achieved an elimination target of less than one case per ten thousand population in December 2005. Even after elimination leprosy is remaining a major health issue in a few states like Chhattisgarh and union territories like Dadra and Nagar haveli. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE –To study the clinico-epidemiological pattern of leprosy in a tertiary care institute at Chhattisgarh. MATERIAL AND METHOD- A retrospective descriptive study was performed at LSLAM medical college, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh. All the cases of leprosy attending skin OPD from January 2020 to December 2020 were recruited for the study. Data was collected in MS excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS software version 20. RESULT – A total of 92 patients were diagnosed as leprosy. 4 (4.35%) patients were children less than 14 years of age. 67 patients were male and 25 were female with male to female ratio was 2.68:1. Commonest age group of presentation was 21 to 40 years. The most common type of leprosy was Borderline Tuberculoid Hansen Disease (BTHD) (43.48%). 64 patients (69.57%) were diagnosed as multibacillary (MB) leprosy. The most common nerve found thickened was ulnar nerve. 30 patients (32.60%) presented with lepra reaction at the time of diagnosis. Out of 30 Lepra reaction cases, 21 (70%) were diagnosed as type1 lepra reaction and the rest 9 (30%) cases were diagnosed as type 2 lepra reaction cases. 59 patients (64.13%) presented with peripheral nerve involvement at the time of diagnosis. 23 (25%) patients were having grade 2 disability at the time of diagnosis. CONCLUSION – Even after achieving the target of elimination leprosy remains a major health problem especially in endemic states of India like Chhattisgarh.