COVID-19 in persons affected by Hansen's disease in Brazil

BackgroundHansens disease (HD) is endemic in Brazil, a country with the third highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world and the second highest number of COVID-19 deaths. COVID-19 in persons affected by HD has not been described at population level in this country. MethodsWe collated numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths among patients who were receiving routine treatment for HD at six centres across Brazil (Belem, Bauru, Brasilia, Vitoria, Petrolina, Palmas) between 1st March and 10th December 2020. ResultsOf 1,333 HD patients receiving treatment, 70 (5.2%) reported having had COVID-19. Almost all patients (97% (1,296/1,333)) including all but one of the COVID-19 cases were receiving MDT comprising rifampicin (600mg once per month), dapsone (100mg daily), and clofazimine (50 mg daily plus 300 mg once per month). Four patients died, including a patient in their 30s on MDT who had a severe type 2 HD reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum) and who was taking clofazimine 100mg daily. ConclusionsWe cannot determine from these preliminary data whether persons affected by Hansens disease have a higher or lower risk of COVID-19 and related mortality compared with the general population. We will continue to monitor the effects of COVID-19 in persons affected by and treated for HD and extend this to monitor SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effectiveness in this group of patients.