Abstract
Leprosy, an infectious, granulomatous neurocutaneous disease, has plagued humans since pre-biblical times. Although the etiological agent of leprosy was described more than 150 years ago, the situation remains worrying, given that 172,717 new cases were reported worldwide in 2024. This report showed that Brazil, India, and Indonesia account for 80% of cases globally. In this context, it is essential to put leprosy on the radar of public policies for financing applied research in the production, improvement, and dissemination of scientific knowledge. To this end, collective action by scholars and government officials will be necessary to address the challenges that leprosy poses.
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