title: A historical overview of leprosy epidemiology and control activities in Amazonas, Brazil.
abstract: Leprosy is an ancient infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. According to comparative genomics studies, this disease originated in Eastern Africa or the Near East and spread with successive human migrations. The Europeans and North Africans introduced leprosy into West Africa and the Americas within the past 500 years. In Brazil, this disease arrived with the colonizers who disembarked at the first colonies, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife, at the end of the sixteenth century, after which it was spread to the other states. In 1854, the first leprosy cases were identified in State of Amazonas in the north of Brazil. The increasing number of leprosy cases and the need for treatment and disease control led to the creation of places to isolate patients, known as leprosaria. One of them, Colonia Antônio Aleixo was built in Amazonas in 1956 according to the most advanced recommendations for isolation at that time and was deactivated in 1979. The history of the Alfredo da Matta Center (AMC), which was the first leprosy dispensary created in 1955, parallels the history of leprosy in the state. Over the years, the AMC has become one of the best training centers for leprosy, general dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases in Brazil. In addition to being responsible for leprosy control programs in the state, the AMC has carried out training programs on leprosy diagnosis and treatment for health professionals in Manaus and other municipalities of the state, aiming to increase the coverage of leprosy control activities. This paper provides a historical overview of leprosy in State of Amazonas, which is an endemic state in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Dermatologia e Venereologia Alfredo da Matta, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Dermatologia e Venereologia Alfredo da Matta, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valderiza Lourenço
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Dermatologia e Venereologia Alfredo da Matta, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Carlos
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chrusciak-Talhari
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Dermatologia e Venereologia Alfredo da Matta, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Centro de Medicina Tropical, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gerson Oliveira
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Penna
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sinésio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talhari
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Dermatologia, Fundação de Dermatologia e Venereologia Alfredo da Matta, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Talhari
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D055819:Hospitals, Isolation / Q000266:history; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae; D015995:Prevalence