DESTINO DOS DOENTES DE LEPRA COM ALTA HOSPITALAR OU CONDICIONAL

Abstract

The author reviews the examinations required for a patient with leprosy to be discharged from the hospital, and emphasises the importance of the Mycobacterium granulations in relapses of the disease. He concludes: a) clinically, we can not state that a lesion is inactive; b) bacteriologically, it is hard to demonstra te the granulations responsible for the resistance of the disease; c) histologically, we know only the structure changes; d) immunologically, changes of the lepromine test in the lepromatous patients are unfrequent. What to do, then, for the benefit of the patient and for the safety of society? The A. asks for the same public health control measures employed in other infectious diseases, e. g. medicai control and health education. The medical control would prevent relapses and the health education would bring patients to a closer cooperation either with the Department of Leprosy or with other medicai services. It is the most important task in fighting leprosy.