Epidemiological profile of leprosy in the state of Mato Grosso: descriptive study

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the prevalence of leprosy cases using as parameters the number of diagnosed cases, age group, sex, clinical form of the disease, degree of physical disability, affected nerves, and therapeutic methods. Methods This was a descriptive study. Data were collected in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases (Sistema de Informações de Agravos de Notificação) from 2014 to 2017 in the state of Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil. Results In the studied period, 11,388 cases were notified in the state, with a higher prevalence in the year 2017. Most cases were diagnosed in individuals older than 15 years with a slight predominance of men. During diagnosis, there was prevalence of zero degree of physical disability and among individuals with affected nerves, mostly had less than five nerves affected. Conclusion Analyzing the prevalence and epidemiological profile of leprosy cases in the state of Mato Grosso (MT) turns to be essential for coping with the disease, as it helps in its management and treatment, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary approach for the recovery of existing cases and prevention of new cases, especially at hyperendemic states.