Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, it remains a public health challenge in Brazil, the country with the second highest number of cases worldwide. Its persistence is associated with poverty, inequalities in access to healthcare, and low educational attainment. This study aimed to describe the incidence and prevalence profile of leprosy in Brazil between 2015 and 2024, with emphasis on regional, sociodemographic, and clinical aspects. This is a descriptive and retrospective study based on data from SINAN, Tabnet, LocalizaSUS, and IBGE. A total of 307,871 new cases were reported in the period, with a peak in 2018 (12%) and a drop in 2020 (7.6%) in the pre-pandemic context. In 2023, cases rose again (9.7%). The highest concentration occurred in the Northeast (42.07%), followed by the Central-West (21.94%) and North (18.32%). The highest incidence coefficients were observed in the Central-West (414.69/100,000), North (324.99/100,000), and Northeast (236.95/100,000), all above the national average (151.60/100,000). Regarding sociodemographic profile, most cases occurred among adults aged 30–59 years (61.82%), with higher coefficients in this group and among those aged 60+. There was predominance of males (56.8%) and of mixed-race individuals (parda) (59.1%). Incomplete schooling (1 st to 4 th grade of elementary school) represented 18.8% of cases, with emphasis in the Northeast. The predominant clinical form was borderline (50%), followed by lepromatous (virchowiana) (17.7%) and tuberculoid (11.5%). Leprosy shows a heterogeneous distribution in the country, with higher incidence in the most socially vulnerable regions. Control strategies should consider regional specificities and promote intersectoral actions to address inequalities, strengthen active surveillance, early diagnosis, timely treatment, and combat stigma. Eradicating leprosy requires political and social commitment to reduce vulnerabilities associated with the disease.
Barbosa et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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