PROBLEM OF LEPROSY IN IRAN

Abstract

Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases of the country and may have been brought over to this country from Egypt in ancient times. Leprosy is mose frequent in the province of Tehran, East Azarbaijan, Guilan and Mazandaran (43 per Km2) than other part of the country (13-18 per km2).The incidence of leprosy is recorded at 7.7 per thousand and 35.2 per thousand in the Southern and Northern part of the country respectively. The problem of Leprosy in Iran is not the number but rather the high incidence of Lepromatous type (57.6 %) as opposed to tuberculoid (25.4%) abases. This requires efforts for hygienic care since this variety is contagious. For this very reason the Leprosy Assistance Association has come to existence in Iran for making effort to eradicate this disease. Her Majesty the Queen, by accepting the patron ship of this organization, has brought this project to the national level. Presently, the efforts are focused on the management, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of the Lepra patients with the sanguine hope that the disease will be controlled and eradicated from the community.