Epidemiology and Management of Leprosy
Summary
Leprosy remains a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis, primarily affecting the skin and peripheral nerves. Although global prevalence has declined dramatically under multidrug therapy (MDT) campaigns, new case detection remains steady in several endemic regions of Asia, Africa and the Americas. Transmission is driven by prolonged close contact, aerosol exposure and, in some settings, zoonotic spill-over from animal reservoirs. Delayed diagnosis perpetuates nerve damage and disability, fuelling social stigma and economic hardship. Management strategies encompass early case detection, standardised MDT regimens, surveillance of drug resistance and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for contacts. Emerging approaches include enhanced molecular diagnostics, chemoprophylaxis optimisation and integration of One Health frameworks to address animal reservoirs. Holistic care must also tackle psychosocial rehabilitation and community engagement to reduce stigma and improve adherence. Continued research into pathogen biology, host genetics, transmission dynamics and novel therapeutics is vital to achieving elimination targets and mitigating the burden of disability.
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Epidemiology and Management of Leprosy publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in epidemiology and management of leprosy across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Incidence: number of new cases occurring in a population over a specified period.
Prevalence: total number of cases present in a population at a given time.
Multidrug therapy (MDT): combination antibiotic regimens used to treat leprosy and prevent resistance.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): administration of antimicrobial agents to contacts of patients to prevent disease onset.
Genome-wide association study (GWAS): an approach that scans the genome to identify genetic variants associated with disease susceptibility.
Zoonotic reservoir: non-human hosts that harbour a pathogen and contribute to transmission to humans.
References
- Genome‐wide meta‐analysis and fine‐mapping prioritize potential causal variants and genes related to leprosy. MedComm (2023).
- Safety of single-dose bedaquiline combined with rifampicin for leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis: A Phase 2 randomized non-inferiority trial in the Comoros Islands. PLOS Medicine (2024).
- Reservoirs and transmission routes of leprosy; A systematic review. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (2020).
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