ORIGIN OF NEW LEPROSY CASES DURING GENERAL SURVEYS IN RELATION TO PREVIOUS SURVEY FINDINGS

As part of the leprosy control activities in the area of Gudiyatham Th aluk, general surveys are done once every three to five years. The per centage of examination is about 90%. An analysis of all new cases regi stered for treatment between 1990-94 was done to study whether these c ases had been examined in the previous general survey. Of the new case s detected and registered, 566 cases (32.6%) were not examined during the previous survey. The significance of these findings in relationshi p to cost-effectiveness of general surveys, case-detection methodology and possible continuing of transmission of leprosy are discussed.