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 7.4/10,000 population. After administering mass chemoprophylaxis, the country reached the elimination threshold (prevalence <1/10,000), but case numbers have rebounded. The mean annualized rate of new cases in 2013-2017 was 15/10,000 population, with the highest new case rates (>20/10,000 population) in the main population centers of South Tarawa and Betio. Spread is expected to continue in areas where crowding and poor socioeconomic conditions persist and may accelerate as sea levels rise from climate change. New initiatives to improve social conditions are needed, and efforts such as postexposure chemoprophylaxis should be implemented to prevent spread.

中文翻译：

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1935-2017年在基里巴斯进行的麻风病监测。

在基里巴斯，与大多数国家不同，尽管有多种药物治疗并为改善病例发现和管理做出了努力，但据报告麻风病病例仍在增加且数量还在增加。历史记录显示，到1925年已查明28例。1997年的系统人口调查确定了135例新病例。1993-1997年的平均发病率为7.4 / 10,000人口。进行大规模化学预防后，该国达到了淘汰门槛（患病率＜1 / 10,000），但病例数有所反弹。2013-2017年新病例的平均年化率为15 / 10,000人口，在南塔拉瓦和贝蒂奥的主要人口中心，新病例发生率最高（> 20 / 10,000人口）。在拥挤和社会经济状况持续的地区，预计传播将继续，随着海平面因气候变化而上升，传播速度可能会加快。需要采取新举措来改善社会状况，并应采取措施，如接触后化学预防，以防止扩散。