Study population: 296 patients treated with MDT for 2 years, between 1985 and 1992 and followed up as part of a relapse study; and 293 patients, treated between 1998 and 2004, with MDT for 1 year and also followed up as part of a relapse study. The Chi squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to test for statistical significance.

ENL was not significantly more common, but it was longer-lasting and more severe in patients receiving only 12 months of MDT, as compared with those receiving 24 months treatment. A high BI at the start of treatment significantly increased the risk of severe ENL by a factor of between 6 and 12, while treatment with 12 instead of 24 months of MDT significantly increased the risk by a factor of between 3 and 10.

This study provides further evidence that a high initial BI is the key risk factor for ENL. It also suggests that the difference between these two cohorts in their experience of ENL as demonstrated in this study, may be related to the different amounts of clofazimine which the two cohorts were given in the early years of their treatment. Further studies are needed to determine whether clofazimine could be used more specifically to reduce the severity of ENL in the small group of patients at high risk for the condition.

The study was cross-sectional and used mixed (qualitative and quantitative) methods. Of the 97 confirmed rural leprosy cases who had been detected through the initial prevalence survey, 58 newly detected adult leprosy cases and parents of 22 children detected with leprosy were interviewed with a semistructured interview schedule between May 2008 and March 2009.

The study revealed that most of the leprosy patients belonged to the poor socioeconomic strata. Nearly 58% of the adult patients reported that they had been detected through the survey within 3 months of noticing their symptom(s) for the first time. Despite having been diagnosed and receiving treatment, only 48% of adult cases knew their condition as leprosy, reflecting their poor knowledge of the disease and lack of communication between providers and patients. The symptom ‘patch on the skin’ seems to have percolated in the community. Despite approaching the private or public sector for help in the first instance, many patients and children remained undiagnosed and untreated for leprosy.

Active surveys for leprosy case detection should substitute the self-reporting approach until IEC measures are sufficiently effective to achieve a significant impact on transmission. Nevertheless both approaches will need the presence of staff with active diagnostic skills and optimal drug availability at PHCs.

Referrals per year have doubled since 2006. Most patients were referred by NGOs (58%), followed by Govt. hospitals (16%) and then by GPs (25%); 76% had received one of the WHO – MDT regimens including 16 treated with 24 months or more MB – MDT, 23 with 12 months MB – MDT and eight with 6 months PB – MDT. Of the remaining 14 cases, four had received DDS mono-therapy, seven had single dose of Rifampicin, Ofloxacin and Minocycline (ROM) and four Rifampicin and Ofloxacin (RO) daily for 28 days. The average incubation time of relapse, defined as duration between cessation of treatment and relapse was (SD) + 6.4 years. 59% of patients had positive slit skin smears on relapse. Relapse for the second time occurred in six BL cases including five from group 2 and one RO treated patient and 11/23 cases from group 2 conferred to BT-BB leprosy. Clinical features at diagnosis and on relapse were comparable in 47% of cases.

All leprosy patients, regardless of their type and MDT regime, carry ‘risk of relapse’. A shorter treatment duration reduces the incubation time to relapse. In group 2 (treated with 12 months MB-MDT regime) 11/23 were BT-BB cases and 5/23 (21%) were relapse for the second time, which further supports our earlier documented findings^14,23 and maybe the efficacy of WHO-MDT regime is poor in a small subset of patients.