I . Epidemiological study of leprosaria and leprosy colonies:
The epidemiological study was made during the period of full 5 years from October 1956 to September 1961 in the inmates of 4 leprosaria and 35 leprosy colonies in Yeong Nam area (Kyong Buk & Kyong Nam provinces). The total inmates taken for this study are 7,305 (6,281 leprosy patients and 1,024 non-infected children or healthy persons), and the results are as follows:
1. The distribution´ of the patients by their birth places shows that great portion of them were born at the lower valleys of Nak Dong _River and its tributaries. The average rate is 0.8 per 1, 000 persons in Kyong Buk Province and 0, 7 in Kyong Nam Province. And the majority of the others who were born in other provinces were in Ho Nam area (Cholla Bukdo and Cholla Namdo provinces) which is neighbouring with Yeong Nam area.
2. With respect to sexes, the ratio male to female is 1. 4 to 1, but it shows a decreasing delimitation of the difference between them when the patients are in before-puberty or after-menopause. Their age groups show 16.99% in´225-29 years, 16.56% in 30-34 years, which are the highest. And the group of 20-49 years of age occupies 79% of the whole patients, and ´that of. 0-19 years of age 1256´ and only 9 % is the group of old ages.
3. The onset-ages show 31.08% in 15-19 years of age, and 20-24 years, 10-14 years, 25-29 years in order. The lowest onset-age is 2 years and 3 months, and the highest on
set-age is 73 years. As for the initial lesion, 25.6 % appears in the lower legs and 22. 0 in the forearms. The initial lesions are found in the exposed extremities which get me
chanical contacts mostly. On the contrary, the lesions are found seldom in the upper arms and thighs.
4. As for the type of the disease, lepromatous type is predominant occupying 60. 1 %. Tuberculoid type is 35.3%. And the ratio between the two types is 1.7 to 1. Indeterminate group is 4.4% and borderline group is 0.2%. As for their stages in the disease, majority of them are light cases, and the others are in such order, moderate and severe cases. Among the severe cases, 11% is lepromatous type and 7 % tuberculoid type.
5. Duration of the disease after onset until admitted to leprosaria or colonies-53.8% less than 5 years, 41.3% less than one year among those of less than 10 years duration
9. The results of their bacteriological examinations show 17.9% positive. Among the positives, 62.0 % in lepromatous cases and 2.9 % in tuberculoid cases and only in one case. of borderline group but in none of indeterminate group-they show all negative results.
10. The prevalence rate of leprosy in Korea based on the case-finding results in the sample survey district is averagely 2.6 per 1, 000 persons, and the total number of the patients in Korea is presumed to be 70,000-80, 000.
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