Shorthanded Specialists Struggle to Address the Resurgence of Leprosy in Brazil

In contrast to global trends, Brazil has seen a steady rise in new leprosy cases over the last two years. While leprosy is curable with intense multidrug therapy, the infectious disease can cause disfiguring skin sores and severe nerve damage if left untreated. In a country where nearly 30,000 people a year are diagnosed with leprosy, the Brazilian Leprosy Society has certified just over 100 leprologists—which is less than one certified leprologist for every 100,000 people in the country. In Brazil, the lack of leprologists is paired with the scarce distribution of dermatologists. Pulitzer Center