[Comment] Are leprosy case numbers reliable?

The most recent WHO leprosy statistics1 show that new cases increased worldwide from 210  758 in 2015, to 214  783 in 2016, representing an increase of 4025 (2%) cases. Multidrug treatment was initiated in the mid-1980s, and by 2001, effective global leprosy elimination campaigns sponsored by WHO had reduced the prevalence from around 5·3 million cases in 1985, to 597 035 (89% reduction).2 This decrease seems like a tremendous success, but the reduction in prevalence needs some historical context.

Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - January 26, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Claudio Guedes Salgado, Josaf á Gonçalves Barreto, Moisés Batista da Silva, Isabela Maria Bernardes Goulart, Jaison Antônio Barreto, Nesio Fernandes de Medeiros Junior, José Augusto Nery, Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade, John Stewart Spencer Tags: Comment Source Type: research