Rheumatic and other musculoskeletal manifestations and autoantibodies in childhood and adolescent leprosy: significance and relevance.

e i m t i ( p t c Leprosy is an important communicable disease. Despite aggressive control and eradication programs and rapidly developing economies, countries such as India and Brazil continue to be large reservoirs for spread of disease. Leprosy amongst children accounts for approximately 10% of all cases in endemic regions. In 2010, the coefficient of detection of leprosy in Brazil was 18.3/100,000 in the general population and 1.3/100,000 in children (< 15 years of age).1 The proportion of children (< 15 years of age) was 12.9% amongst all leprosy cases in a recent prospective study from India.2 53% of the children suffering from leprosy were 10 years old or less in a study from Colombia.3 Leprosy in infants, though rare and often missed, has been reported.4 To understand musculoskeletal (MSK) involvement, it is prudent to review leprosy in pediatric and adolescent subjects