title: [Multibacillary leprosy in Tyrol].
abstract: Five cases of multibacillary leprosy have been diagnosed in a period of 15 years (1987-2001) at the outpatient Department of Neurology of the University Hospital Innsbruck. All patients presented with dermatological and mild to severe polyneuropathic signs and symptoms. 4/5 patients recovered fully, whereas 1 patient with an initially severe polyneuropathy showed persistent polyneuropathy as long-term sequela. The prevalence of leprosy in the catchment area of the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Innsbruck (comprising the entire province of Tyrol--650,000 inhabitants) is to be calculated as 0.5/1 million. The incidence of newly diagnosed leprosy within this province of Tyrol is 0.04/100,000/year. The aim of the presentation of these 5 patients is--beside the epidemiologic aspect--to alert all neurologists and dermatologists that this disease still exists--despite decreasing prevalence and incidence rates on a global scale; this is of particular importance since neurological long-term sequelae can only be avoided by early diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Universitätskliniken für Neurologie, Neurologische Intensivstation, Innsbruck, Osterreich. b.pfausler@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfausler
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bösch
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sepp
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schmutzhard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007918:Leprosy / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence