%A Theuvenet WJ %A Soares D %A Baral JP %A Theuvenet-Schutte R %A Palla JP %A Jesudasan K %T Mass survey of leprosy in Lalitpur District, Nepal %0 Journal Article %D 1994 %J International Journal of Leprosy and other Mycobacterial Diseases %P 0148-916X %V 62 %N 2 %X An intense mass survey of leprosy in Lalitpur District, Nepal, was carried for the period 1986 to 1990. This was the first such large scale survey in Nepal; 85% of the total population was examined. The 5-year case detection rate was 13 per 10,000; the 5-year child detection rate was 4 per 10,000. By the end of the survey the prevalence rate was 6.8 per 10,000; at the end of 1992 this had dropped to 2.2 per 10,000. In 1989, after a 3-year interval, a re-survey was done in three village development committees (VDCs) and 4 new cases were detected, bringing the 3-year case detection rate to 3.3 per 10,000; 36% of the old cases, 20% of the new adult cases, and 3% of the new child cases were classified as multibacillary. Overall, 62.7% of the patients had no disability, 18.8% had disability grade 1, and 12.7% had disability grade 2 while for 5.8% the data were incomplete. By the end of the survey 91% of the patients needing medical treatment were on multidrug therapy (MDT). At present this has increased to 100%. The regularity rate was 86%; at the end of 1992 this had increased to 96%. The cost for detecting one new patient was US$298. Because of the high cost, it is recommended that intense mass surveys not be performed when the estimated prevalence rate is less than 10 per 10,000 inhabitants. F rom the data collected conclusions were drawn and recommendations were formulated for developing new strategies for the National Leprosy Control Programme of the Government of Nepal.