Does the introduction of WHO-MDT influence trends in the incidence of leprosy?--the Malaŵian experience.
There has been an average annual decline in detection rates of all types of leprosy in Malaŵi of around 11.6% between 1977 and 1991. There was no obvious acceleration or slowing down of this decline following the introduction of WHO/MDT in 1983-84. Disability ratios stayed at the same level of about 11% during the 15 years covered by this paper suggesting that patients did not self-report earlier after 1983-84 which might have masked an underlying accelerated decline in detection rates. Thus it is concluded that the influence of WHO/MDT on the pattern of leprosy over a period of time, in a country like Malaŵi, is so far not noticeably different from any influence dapsone monotherapy might have had.
Boerrigter
G
G
Universitäts-Hautklinik, Homburg (Saar), Germany.
Pönnighaus
J M
JM
D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization