Nolen Leisha, Haberling Dana, Scollard David, Truman Richard, Rodriguez-Lainz Alfonso, Blum Laura, Blaney David
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Oct 31;63(43):969-72.
Hansen's disease (HD), or leprosy, is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and is reportable in many states. It is a chronic disease affecting the skin and nerves, commonly presenting as pale or reddish skin patches with diminished sensation. Without treatment, it can progress to a severely debilitating disease with nerve damage, tissue destruction, and functional loss. An important factor in limiting HD morbidity is early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy. Because HD is rare, clinicians in the United States are often unfamiliar with it; however, HD continues to cause morbidity in the United States. To better characterize at-risk U.S. populations, HD trends during 1994-2011 were evaluated by reviewing records from the National Hansen's Disease Program (NHDP). When the periods 1994-1996 and 2009-2011 were compared, a decline in the rate for new diagnoses from 0.52 to 0.43 per million was observed. The rate among foreign-born persons decreased from 3.66 to 2.29, whereas the rate among U.S.-born persons was 0.16 in both 1994-1996 and 2009-2011. Delayed diagnosis was more common among foreign-born persons. Clinicians throughout the United States should familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of HD and understand that HD can occur in the United States.
麻风病是由麻风分枝杆菌引起的，在许多州都需上报。它是一种影响皮肤和神经的慢性疾病，通常表现为皮肤出现浅色或红色斑块，感觉减退。未经治疗，它会发展成一种严重致残的疾病，伴有神经损伤、组织破坏和功能丧失。限制麻风病发病率的一个重要因素是早期诊断和及时开始治疗。由于麻风病较为罕见，美国的临床医生通常对其并不熟悉；然而，麻风病在美国仍会导致发病。为了更好地描述美国的高危人群，通过查阅国家麻风病项目（NHDP）的记录，对1994 - 2011年期间的麻风病发病趋势进行了评估。比较1994 - 1996年和2009 - 2011年这两个时期，新诊断率从每百万0.52降至0.43。外国出生者的发病率从3.66降至2.29，而美国出生者在1994 - 1996年和2009 - 2011年的发病率均为0.16。外国出生者中延迟诊断更为常见。美国各地的临床医生应熟悉麻风病的体征和症状，并了解麻风病在美国也可能发生。
