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Planning for leprosy control requires estimates of the number ofleprosy patients at different levels. During the period between the mid-1 960s and the mid-1980s, global estimates had remained constant at between 10 and 12 million. The introduction of muItidrug therapy (MDT) in many countries and the consequent reduction of the disease's prevalence has necessitated a reassessment of this. Based on available information and its interpretation, the number of leprosy cases in the world for 1991 has been estimated at 5•5 million. The number of individuals deformed by leprosy, including those cured of the disease, has been estimated at between 2 and 3 million. * This paper is reproduced from the WHO Bulletin (1992, 70 (I) 7-10) by kind permission of WHO.

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A review of progress in the epidemiology and control of leprosy indicates that, even though there has been only limited advancement in the epidemiological understanding of the disease, control of leprosy through chemotherapy of patients has been highly successful. Diagnostic tools using serology and other means have substantially improved, particularly in meeting research needs. There has been a reduction of more than 50% over the past decade in the leprosy case load in the world, due mainly to the vigorous implementation of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the treatment of the disease. MDT has been remarkably effective in curing patients, preventing relapse and minimizing side-effects. The progress in disease control in recent years prompted the World Health Assembly in 1991 to endorse a goal of global elimination of leprosy as a public health problem by the year 2000, defining elimination of leprosy as attaining a level of prevalence below one case per 10,000 population. The future prospects for leprosy control in general and improved MDT appear to be good.