Epidemiological relation between leprosy and tubercrosis

Abstract

As to the relationship between leprosy and tuberculosis a number of bacteriological, immunological, histological and clinical reports have been published. Epidemiological features in relation between these two diseases in this country will take an important role in connection with those studies and also in establishing an ultimate control measure for the two diseases.
The result showed a keen similarity of epidemiological patterns in the two diseases.
1) The decreases of mortality, incidence and prevalence from the beginning of this centutry up to 1957 show quite similar trends in both leprosy and tuberculosis.
2) The male to female ratio of the two diseases in incidence has been always more than 100 and it has become very similar in tecent years. In age distribution those of the two showed a similar pattern toward the older age groups.
3) In BCG inoculation rate, tuberculin positive rate, incidence by age, and severity of leprosy and tuberculosis indicated a close association. Concerning the family aggregation both the diseases showed an epidemiological likeness, although it was slightly higher in leprosy.
4) Also in geographical distribution the two diseases had a similar figur, higher in southern part of this country. The rate of leprosy patients complicated with tuberculosis by age was very alike the prevalence of tuberculosis by age. Finally leprosy and tuberculosis had a common entity against the effective chemotherapeutic agents.