Geospatial epidemiology of leprosy in northwest Bangladesh: a 20-year retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Leprosy is known to be unevenly distributed between and within countries. High risk areas or 'hotspots' are potential targets for preventive interventions, but the underlying epidemiologic mechanisms that enable hotspots to emerge, are not yet fully understood. In this study, we identified and characterized leprosy hotspots in Bangladesh, a country with one of the highest leprosy endemicity levels globally.

Methods

We used data from four high-endemic districts in northwest Bangladesh including 20 623 registered cases between January 2000 and April 2019 (among ~ 7 million population). Incidences per union (smallest administrative unit) were calculated using geospatial population density estimates. A geospatial Poisson model was used to detect incidence hotspots ove

SUBMITTER: Bulstra CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7986508 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature