Monitoring the elimination of leprosy in Brazil

A decreasing trend in the prevalence rate of leprosy was reached in Brazil only after the introduction of the World Health Organization multidrug ther apy (WHO/MDT) program in 1990, This paper analyzes leprosy morbidity indica tors and the prevalence rate, and their utilization in monitoring the progr ess of leprosy elimination in Brazil. Since these indicators are modified b y changes in health service procedures comparing prevalence rates from diff erent endemic countries or current prevalence rates with old ones from the same endemic region needs careful attention. The current official prevalenc e rate of 6.72/10,000 inhabitants in Brazil could be considered high when c ompared with rates from other countries, but it is important to remember th at defaulters and patients being treated with old regimens are kept on the active registers in Brazil, while in most other endemic countries they are not.