Leprosy in Sudan: What is the current situation?

Background: Leprosy is a communicable disease that remains a neglected global health concern. Leprosy is a contagious skin disease that continues to pose a chronic public health issue in Sudan. This research aimed to analyze the household connections of leprosy patients in North Kordofan state during the period from 2020 to 2021. Methodology: This prospective, descriptive, community-based study was conducted in El-Obeid city, focusing on all households that interacted with leprotic patients between November 2020 and July 2021. The study has 116 cases (total coverage). Aside from the questionnaire, clinical examinations and skin smears for microscopic investigation were conducted. Results: One hundred sixteen household contacts of forty leprotic patients were investigated. Most of the participants, comprising 57% females and 60% of the studied individuals, were uneducated. Additionally, most resided in rural areas and had not engaged in any form of employment. The prevalence of leprosy among contacted households was 16.4% for multibacillary cases. 89.5% of newly diagnosed patients had multibacillary leprosy, with a male predominance of 63% over females. Most were residents in rural areas, accounting for 68.4%. Conclusion: The present study concluded that household contacts with leprotic patients require close attention for early diagnosis to prevent the transmission of the disease and to implement control measures effectively. Raising awareness of at-risk communities is essential for effective infection control.