title: [Epidemiological analysis on leprosy in China, 2009].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiological characteristics of leprosy and to provide evidence for specific strategies development on leprosy control.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analysis of data from the national leprosy surveillance system was carried out in 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total number of 1597 new cases were detected in 2009 with a case detection rate of 0.120 per 100 000 population. The proportions of children under 15, multibacillary and disability grade 2 were 2.4%, 84.3% and 22.8% respectively. A total number of 148 relapse cases were reported in 2009, among which 69 cases were those relapsed after multi-drug therapy. The existing cases were 6603 by the end of 2009 with a prevalence rate of 0.049 per 10 000 populations, among which 3332 cases were on multi-drug therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall leprosy situation is considered to be at low endemic in China but the distribution is unequal, with pocket areas in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou. In order to reach the target on leprosy elimination, which was considered as a public health and social problem, the input and efforts are needed for many years to come.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, National Center for Leprosy Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 210042, China.
authors.forename: Mei-wen
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Liang-bin
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Jian-ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ye-mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Guo-cheng
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence