Disability profile of childhood and adolescent leprosy: A 10-year retrospective record-based study at tertiary care center

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease in tropical countries. Children and adolescent with leprosy pose a great burden in society. Disability which develops in children and adolescent, have negative effect on social, personal and academic life. To break the chain of transmission in these patients we must find lacunae in disease development in those patients. It is a retrospective record-based study conducted at tertiary care hospital. Case records for the period of 10 years (August 2010 to August 2020) were examined. All confirmed cases of leprosy who developed disability before, during and after taking MDT, were graded according to WHO disability grading (WHO 1988). Out of 568 patients diagnosed with leprosy, 61 (10.7%) patients developed disability, out of which 20 (32.78%) patients belonged to <15 years and 41(67.21%) belonged to 15-19 years. Male:Female ratio 2:1. 25 (41%) patients had positive family history and 20 (32.8%) patients had positive Slit skin smear examination for Acid fast bacilli. 25 (41%) patients had Multibacillary leprosy and 36 (59%) patients had Paucibacillary leprosy. 8 (13.11%) patients had type-2 lepra reaction while 6 (9.8%) patients had type-1 lepra reaction. Total 6 (9.8%) patients developed disability, out of which 2 (3.2%) patients had Grade 2 disability. Leprosy in children is more important as it has great impact on child as well as family. Hence, regular close monitoring of child and adolescent with leprosy is required to avoid development of disabilities.