Leprosy. The beginning of an end to a public health problem?

Incidence rates of leprosy seem to be falling in most countries around the world, despite the HIV epidemic. Among the reasons for the declining rates are changing socioeconomic conditions and high BCG vaccination coverage. The numbers of people disabled by leprosy, however, are more important than incidence rates of leprosy per se. The issue of the disabled will remain a public health problem for many decades to come.