Leprosy among industrial workers in Bombay, India. Studies in retrospect and prospect.

The problem of leprosy in Greater Bombay, India, is presented. Antileprosy measures carried out in this dense, industrialized, endemic urban area are briefly described. The role of survey of various groups of people in case detection is then highlighted. A retrospective study showing the proportion of industrial workers among new, resident leprosy cases is presented. In another retrospective study, various attributes of workers, such as state of origin, source of referral, religion, regularity in attendance, deformity status, nature of occupation, etc., are studied and their significance delineated. This has resulted in undertaking a cross-sectional, prospective survey of over 18,000 industrial workers where the case detection rate turned out to be over 17 per 1000. Accordingly, arguments are advanced for recommending surveys of industrial workers in the scheme of leprosy control in endemic urban areas. A study of socio-economic and cultural attributes of workers and their relatives in maintaining the endemicity is felt distinctly feasible.