Relapses in leprosy after release from control

Abstract

In 1974, 678 patients, originally classified as suffering from various types of leprosy from LL to TT, were released from control. During the next 3 years, 105 of the reported back on their own accord, with evidence of relapse which was confirmed by clinical, bacteriological and electrophysiological observations. During this period the overall relapse rate was 15%, but patients in the LL/BL group, the indeterminate group, and the BT group treated for less than 5 years, had a relapse rate of over 30%. Reasons for these disconcertingly high figures are discussed and a plea is made for the collection of more data on relapse rates in similar groups of patients from different countries, in order to revise the the criteria for releasing patients from treatment.