Estimating underreporting of leprosy in Brazil using a Bayesian approach.
Guilherme Lopes de OliveiraJuliane Fonseca de OliveiraJúlia Moreira PescariniRoberto Fernandes Silva AndradeJoilda S NeryMaria Yury Travassos IchiharaLiam SmeethElizabeth Bailey BrickleyMaurício Lima BarretoGerson de Oliveira PennaMaria Lúcia Fernandes PennaMauro Niskier SanchezPublished in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases (2021)
The magnitude and distribution of leprosy underreporting were adequately explained by a model using Grade 2 disability as a marker for the ability of the system to detect new missing cases. The percentage of missed cases was significant, and efforts are warranted to improve leprosy case detection. Our estimates in Brazilian microregions can be used to guide effective interventions, efficient resource allocation, and target actions to mitigate transmission.