Better knowledge of the symptoms of leprosy will help reduce number of cases of the disease affecting nearly a quarter of a million people in the world with a majority of them reported from India.
According to a study conducted by University of Birmingham in three Brazilian states, many patients appear to be still ignorant about the symptoms of leprosy, which is considered to be a disease affecting mainly poor people.
"Leprosy is a leading cause of preventable disability worldwide and endemic in Brazil, which ranks second only to India in the amount of cases recorded," said lead author Mary Henry from the University of Birmingham.
"This study highlights the need for further patient education on the disease's symptoms, as well as the reduction of stigma to encourage patients to seek earlier medical care. It also suggests the need for primary care clinicians to be better educated about the symptoms of leprosy," Henry said.
The researchers also found that delays in diagnosis of more than 10 years have been reported in Brazil.
"Leprosy is curable, but early diagnosis is essential. Delays in identifying and treating the condition mean that the disease is more likely to spread and the patients in question may suffer more severe disabilities," Henry said.
It also found that reducing the social stigma attached to the infectious, but curable disease could encourage sufferers in Brazil to go to their doctor and seek early treatment for the condition.
The study found that people who suspected they had leprosy, but feared being shunned by their community, were 10 times more likely to wait longer before consulting a doctor for their symptoms.
Researchers, worked with counterparts in Brazil, also found that 42 per cent of people who took part in the study reported that doctors had not initially diagnosed leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, commonly misdiagnosing it as rheumatism and skin allergy.
This social group in Brazil has low levels of literacy - researchers suggest that incorporating graphics and animation into patient education tools may help tackle the disease.
The study, published in PLoS (Public Library of Science), aimed to identify factors associated with patient and health system delays that could be contributing to the overall delayed diagnosis of leprosy in Brazil.
It found that stigma towards leprosy sufferers remains despite the availability of a cure.
Fear of isolation was likely to lead to greater delay, with some patients concealing their symptoms and avoiding treatment for fear of social exclusion, it said.
India, Myanmar and Nepal contribute 70 per cent of total leprosy cases in the world with over 50 per cent alone reported from India.
The study recommends that national health programmes should be used to inform the public that leprosy is curable and preventable.
Nearly half of participants (45.1 per cent) waited before consulting a doctor because they did not believe their symptoms were serious, the study said.
