Single-Dose Rifampicin Leprosy Chemoprophylaxis for Household Contacts in Kiribati: An Audit of a Combined Retrospective and Prospective Approach.

Kiribati is a Pacific Island nation with a widely dispersed population and one of the highest rates of leprosy worldwide. Single-dose rifampicin post-exposure prophylaxis (SDR-PEP) of leprosy contacts has reduced new case detection rates in controlled trials. In 2018, an SDR-PEP programme was introduced in Kiribati that included screening and chemoprophylaxis of household contacts of leprosy cases retrospectively (2010-2017) and prospectively (2018-2022).

Effectiveness of population-wide screening and mass drug administration for leprosy control in Kiribati: the COMBINE protocol.

Introduction: Progress towards leprosy elimination is threatened by increasing incidence in 'hot-spot' areas where more effective control strategies are urgently required. In these areas, active case finding and leprosy prevention limited to known contacts is insufficient for control. Population-wide active case-finding together with universal prevention through mass drug administration (MDA) has been shown to be effective in 'hot-spot' areas, but is logistically challenging and expensive.

Surveillance of Leprosy in Kiribati, 1935-2017.

In Kiribati, unlike most countries, high and increasing numbers of cases of leprosy have been reported despite the availability of multidrug therapy and efforts to improve case finding and management. Historic records show that 28 cases had been identified by 1925. A systematic population survey in 1997 identified 135 new cases; the mean incidence rate for 1993-1997 was 7.