Reação hansênica em menores de 15 anos em um município hiperendêmico.

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic, infectious, contagious disease caused by the bacillus M. leprae is a serious public health problem that can cause physical disabilities and deformities. One of the major causes of physical incapacity is the leprosy reaction, a phenomenon not very common in children under 15 years, but that is increasing in this age group. The objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence of leprosy reactions in children under 15 years of age in São Luís-MA. An analytical study carried out at municipal health units with the implemented Leprosy Control Program. The study included 131 children under 15 years of age who were notified with leprosy in the period 2014 and 2015. The information was collected from the medical records and information contained in the original research database entitled "Epidemiological, clinical and immunological aspects of leprosy in children under 15 years in the Municipality of São Luís- MA ". The leprosy reaction was present in 15.3% of the cases and the most frequent type of reaction was isolated neuritis (50.0%). In the univariate analysis, the male sex (70.0%, p = 0.017), black race (35.0%, p = 0.036), multibacillary 80.0 (p = 0.001), degree of disability 0 (65.0%, p = 0.001), with 2 to 3 lesions (30.0%, p = 0.047% ). In the logistic regression, the associated males (p = 0.005), brown / black (p = 0.001), family income ≤ 1 minimum wage (p = 0.000), and ≥ 2 people with leprosy in the house (p = 0.000) and with the clinical form Borderline / Virchowiana (p = 0.000). The leprosy reaction in children under 15 years is associated with some sociodemographic conditions.