[Leprosy in Buriticupu, State of Maranhão: active search for cases in the adult population].

Introduction: This study aimed to analyze the leprosy situation, focusing on the adult population of the town of Buriticupu, State of Maranhão.

Methods: An active search was conducted to identify new cases from 2005 to 2007. All patients with injuries suggestive of leprosy were submitted to cutaneous bacilloscopy and biopsies were performed when defining the clinical presentation was difficulty.

[Leprosy in the municipality of Buriticupu, State of Maranhão: active search among the student population].

This study had the aim of determining the coefficient of leprosy detection among the student population of the municipality of Buriticupu, State of Maranhão. An active case search method was used, covering a population of 14,653 students, in 53 schools within the municipal network. Clinical examination gave rise to a leprosy diagnosis for 20 students, which represents a detection coefficient of 13.