LEPROSY IN BRAZIL: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTED CASES ACCORDING TO SEX AND AGE GROUP FROM 2014 TO 2024

Abstract

Mycobacterium leprae is the bacillus that causes leprosy, an infection whose clinical presentation depends on the host's immune response, being classified as paucibacillary (up to five lesions or negative bacilloscopy) or multibacillary (six or more lesions or positive bacilloscopy). The pathogen causes inflammation, demyelination, and physical disabilities. The objective of this study was to identify cases of leprosy in Brazil through a cross-sectional study using secondary data on leprosy in Brazil from 2014 to 2024, evaluating their distribution according to notification region, sex, and age group. Between 2014 and 2024, the country recorded 349,412 notifications, heterogeneously distributed due to determinants such as poverty, poor housing conditions, and limited access to healthcare. The Northeast region concentrated the highest number of cases, with 147,533 (42.2%), followed by the Center-West, with 76,033 (21.8%), North, with 64,066 (18.3%), Southeast, with 50,546 (14.5%), and South, with 11,234 (3.2%). The profile revealed a predominance of economically active adults. Males were the most affected group (198,537 cases versus 150,858 female cases) in all regions, a finding associated with lower adherence of men to healthcare services. For disease control, auditing and monitoring tools have been identified as strategies to improve healthcare services, although they still play a secondary role in institutional decision-making.