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Hansen's disease and COVID-19 co-infection in Brazil

Taynah Alves Rocha Repsold1, Simon M Collin1,2, Raquel Carvalho Bouth3

  • 1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.

International Journal of Dermatology
|July 1, 2022
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 co-infection in Hansen's disease patients did not alter disease presentation. Further monitoring is needed to understand the pandemic's broader effects on leprosy patients.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Dermatology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The impact of COVID-19 co-infection on Hansen's disease (HD, leprosy) patients is not well understood.
  • This study investigates the clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of co-infected patients in Brazil.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with co-existing Hansen's disease and COVID-19.
  • To assess the influence of COVID-19 on the course of Hansen's disease treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted with adult Hansen's disease patients confirmed to have COVID-19 via PCR.
  • Data were collected from five HD treatment centers in Brazil between March 2020 and March 2021.
  • No patients in the study cohort had been vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of data collection.

Main Results:

  • Out of 1377 HD patients, 70 (5.1%) were diagnosed with COVID-19; 41 had confirmed PCR results.
  • Multibacillary HD was prevalent (39/41 patients). Eight patients discontinued HD multidrug therapy.
  • Twelve patients were hospitalized for COVID-19, and six died; comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes were noted in fatalities.

Conclusions:

  • Co-infection with COVID-19 did not appear to significantly alter the clinical presentation of Hansen's disease or COVID-19 in this cohort.
  • The long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with Hansen's disease necessitate ongoing surveillance and follow-up.
Abstract

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