Analysis of the leprosy literature indexed in Medline (1950-2007)

Some 19 201 leprosy-related articles were identified in the Medline database for the period 1950-2007. These were analysed for distribution and evolution of a number of variables: publication years, languages, document types, journals, authors, major aspects and countries involved, and author addresses. Next to a number of tables presenting the actual results, some noteworthy trends and possible pitfalls in the interpretation of these results are discussed. The analysis shows that the number of leprosy-related articles peaked in the 1980s and has been in decline ever since, as well in absolute as in relative numbers. Coverage of non-English language literature has decreased far more strongly than that of English language articles. The scholarly input of a number of countries where the leprosy burden is the highest, such as India and Brazil, is clearly visible in the distribution of journals, authors, and for some, language, but this is certainly not the case for all countries afflicted.