Internal Migration and Leprosy in Shanghai from 2000 to 2019: an Epidemiological Study of New Cases

Authors

  • Jianyu Zhu
  • Chao Shi
  • Degang Yang
  • Yeqiang Liu
  • Jia Chen
  • Meiping Ye
  • Chunjie Liao
  • Zhichun Jing
  • Zhichun Jing Department of infectious Diseases, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, , China Pingyu Zhou Yes 35476451@qq.com Department of infectious Diseases, Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200443 Shanghai, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3821

Keywords:

leprosy, internal migration, public health, epidemiology

Abstract

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Massive internal migration from rural to urban areas poses new challenges for leprosy control in Shanghai, China. This retrospective epidemiological study examined new cases of leprosy diagnosed in Shanghai from 2000 to 2019, with emphasis on internal migration cases. There were 145 cases of leprosy in the study period; the majority of cases (89.0%) were internal migrants. Migrant cases had a mean of 25.4 months lag time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis, which was significantly longer than that of resident cases (mean 10.8 months, p < 0.001). Greater lag time from the first visit to diagnosis was observed in migrant cases (mean 23.2 months) compared with resident cases (mean 9.4 months, p < 0.001). A large majority of cases (91.0%) had been misdiagnosed. Internal migrant cases were responsible for most incidences of leprosy in Shanghai. They often did not receive timely diagnosis and treatment, which may have an adverse impact on the prevention of epidemic leprosy.

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Published

2021-05-19

How to Cite

Zhu, J., Shi, C., Yang, D., Liu, Y., Chen, J., Ye, M., Liao, C., Jing, Z., & Jing, Z. (2021). Internal Migration and Leprosy in Shanghai from 2000 to 2019: an Epidemiological Study of New Cases. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 101(5), adv00459. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3821