Leprosy control has improved significantly due to national and subnational campaigns in most endemic countries. Integration of primary leprosy services and effective collaborations and partnerships have led to a considerable reduction in leprosy burden.

Multidrug Therapy (MDT) has transformed leprosy from being a scourge of humankind into a curable disease. However, it remains a neglected disease, despite the efforts of countries like Brazil in the area of all-out elimination. This comprehensive report outlines the many lessons that have been learned and great progress achieved, both in research and in leprosy control. This page offers a summary and access to the full-text report on the WHO website.

This consensus is a collaborative effort of PAHO-Brazil, the Secretary of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, and the Lauro de Souza Lima Institute, with the objective of validating the leprosy diagnostic procedures for new cases. The exercise will be carried out in the 23 endemic states during August 2004.

The present publication is a contribution of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), in conjunction with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, which aims to improve and promote access to nationwide leprosy information.

Leprosy in Brazil: Epidemiology and Social Aspects, 2002 by Vera Andrade PAHO/WHO, Brazil