Neill M A, Hightower A W, Broome C V
J Infect Dis. 1985 Nov;152(5):1064-9. doi: 10.1093/infdis/152.5.1064.
In the period 1971-1981, 1,835 cases of leprosy were reported in the United States; only 10% of these cases were indigenous. Since 1977, the number of new cases reported each year has risen because of an increase in imported cases of disease, a situation reflecting the increased number of refugees and immigrants who have entered the United States from areas endemic for leprosy. Forty-five of the 50 states reported cases. In only 25% of the imported cases were the patients known to have had leprosy at the time of immigration; the remaining 75% were diagnosed in this country. The highest rate of disease onset for this latter group occurred within 12 months after entry into the United States, but cases continued to be reported 10 years after entry. Active refugee resettlement programs have widely distributed persons with leprosy, contacts of diseased persons, and persons from endemic areas throughout the 50 states, a situation necessitating the development of expertise by medical professionals and public health officials in the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up of patients with leprosy.
1971年至1981年期间，美国报告了1835例麻风病病例；其中只有10%是本土病例。自1977年以来，由于输入性病例增加，每年报告的新病例数量有所上升，这种情况反映出从麻风病流行地区进入美国的难民和移民数量增加。美国50个州中有45个州报告了病例。在仅25%的输入性病例中，患者在移民时已知患有麻风病；其余75%是在美国确诊的。后一组病例的最高发病率出现在进入美国后的12个月内，但在入境10年后仍有病例报告。积极的难民安置计划已使麻风病患者、患者接触者以及来自流行地区的人员广泛分布于50个州，这种情况使得医学专业人员和公共卫生官员有必要在麻风病患者的诊断、治疗和长期随访方面发展专业知识。
