title: Leprosy control: perspectives & epidemiological and operational aspects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As a starting point, a vast variety of 200 technical papers and documents published during the ten years 1999-2008, from Brazilian and international organizations dedicated to the control of leprosy, was taken. A study was then undertaken to investigate its future evolutive possibilities by employing resources obtained from scenario analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methodological reconstruction in use was of a qualitative nature, based on a bibliographic review and content analysis techniques. The latter were employed in a documental, categorical, contingent, frequency-based format, in compliance with appropriate and pertinent conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nowadays, important elements on epidemiological and operational aspects have been regained, as well as respective perspectives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A projection is made towards the fact that the maintenance of the disease's present incidence levels constitute economic and sanitary challenges that confront issues ranging from the neoliberal model of global societal organization to specific competences of actions taken by health teams in the field.
authors.affiliation: Campinas Catholic University, Brazil. aguinaldogon@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Aguinaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Glauca G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Mantellini
authors.forename: Carlos Roberto
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Padovani
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014944:World Health Organization