Effectiveness of innovative interventions on curbing transmission of leprosy

Since 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared leprosy eliminated based on a global prevalence of less than one case per 10,000 population. Five years later this target was also achieved at the country level, though with a few exceptions. In recent years, annual case notification rates have plateaued at above 200,000 cases worldwide, with no clear sign of imminent decline. The high-burden countries that conducted active case finding (ACF) have documented hidden cases, an important proportion of whom are children, born after the year leprosy was assumed to have been eliminated. Both facts point to the uninterrupted transmission. Yet the WHO Roadmap for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030 and the WHO Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030, include interruption of transmission M.leprae as a key target.

This PhD research proposal aims at developing and evaluating methods for prevention and early case finding within programmatic conditions in endemic settings. In Comoros and Madagascar, we will compare the effectiveness of three different approaches to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). We will apply geographic information systems (GIS) and digital tools for recording and reporting data, tools that could become part of routine program management.

Trefwoorden:B680-volksgezondheid

Project type:PhD project