Detection of a new leprosy patients through the exam of contacts in the Rio Grande do Sul state

Abstract

The introduction of multidrugtherapy added to the adopted operational measures, such as revision of clinical files, reduction of the time of treatment and the modifi cations in the health services looking at the attention service leprosy contributed for the decline of the prevalence in Rio Grande do Sul. However, in order to reach the goal of elimination of the leprosy as public health problem, the elements of a control program need
to be modifi ed or to have its priorities reviewed. Thus, the maintenance of diagnosis and treatment services, the supervision and an attentive epidemic surveillance system, with emphasis in the surveillance of contacts and the formulation of strategies for the handling leprosy as a
disease of low prevalence, are important elements.