Nsagha D S, Bamgboye E A, Oyediran A B O
Department of Public Health and Hygiene, Medicine Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63, Buea, Cameroon.
Nig Q J Hosp Med. 2009 Sep-Dec;19(4):214-9.
The WHO targeted to eliminate leprosy from the world as a public health problem by reducing the prevalence to less than 1 case per 10000 population based on the use of multi-drug therapy (MDT). Despite the success of MDT, endemic pools still exist in some countries that have attained the national elimination threshold.
Assess the burden of childhood leprosy and control efforts in Essimbiland of Cameroon.
The records of children patients were reviewed in two main primary health care institutions and 4 primary schools in Essimbiland having 459 pupils were surveyed for leprosy. A purposive sampling of all available registers and pupils was used.
A total of 1129 case files were reviewed covering the periods before MDT (1961-1967) implementation in 1982 and post MDT (1982-1999); no records were available from 1968-1991. From chart review, 42 (23.3%) new leprosy cases from 1961-1967 and 35 (12.2%) from 1982-1998 were from the Mbingo leprosarium. 31 (39.7%) of 78 childhood leprosy cases from chart review [1961-1967 and 1982-1999] were from Essimbiland. Of the 35 incident childhood leprosy cases from 1982-1998, 24 (68.6%) were from Essimbiland compared to other divisions. Poor record - keeping on leprosy was common in the study area. Among 459 pupils surveyed in 4 primary schools, 6 (1.3%) new leprosy cases were identified giving a prevalence of 131 per 10,000 pupils. The common skin lesion was on the back but one pupil had both hands clawed. 16 (3.5%) pupils were placed on observation. All the new leprosy cases from the school survey were indigenes of Essimbiland.
Childhood leprosy is a public health problem in the Essimbiland requiring school surveys and a house-to-house search for new cases.
世界卫生组织旨在通过使用多药联合化疗（MDT）将麻风病患病率降至每10000人口中少于1例，从而在全球范围内消除作为公共卫生问题的麻风病。尽管MDT取得了成功，但在一些已达到国家消除阈值的国家中，仍存在麻风病流行区。
评估喀麦隆埃辛比兰地区儿童麻风病负担及防治工作情况。
在埃辛比兰地区的两家主要基层医疗卫生机构查阅儿童患者记录，并对4所共有459名学生的小学进行麻风病调查。对所有可用登记册和学生采用目的抽样法。
共查阅了1129份病例档案，涵盖1982年MDT实施前（1961 - 1967年）和MDT实施后（1982 - 1999年）；1968 - 1991年无记录。通过图表审查，1961 - 1967年有42例（23.3%）新麻风病病例，1982 - 1998年有35例（12.2%）来自姆宾戈麻风病院。图表审查中（1961 - 1967年和1982 - 1999年）78例儿童麻风病病例中有31例（39.7%）来自埃辛比兰地区。1982 - 1998年35例新发病的儿童麻风病病例中，与其他地区相比，有24例（68.6%）来自埃辛比兰地区。研究区域内麻风病记录保存不佳的情况很常见。在4所小学调查的459名学生中，发现6例（1.3%）新麻风病病例，患病率为每10000名学生中有131例。常见皮肤病变位于背部，但有一名学生双手呈爪状。16名（3.5%）学生被置于观察中。学校调查中所有新麻风病病例均为埃辛比兰地区本地人。
儿童麻风病在埃辛比兰地区是一个公共卫生问题，需要进行学校调查并逐户搜索新病例。
