Also known as Hansen’s disease, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, whose main clinical manifestations include cutaneous lesions, in addition to affecting peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. In 2019, Brazil accounted for about 14% of more than 200,000 global leprosy notifications, ranking among the three countries with the highest disease burden worldwide. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of cutaneous lesions due to leprosy in Brazil (2019–2023).

Ecological, descriptive study using available data from DATASUS, based on the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN/SUS), from 2019–2023. Data were extracted on leprosy cutaneous lesion cases in Brazil regarding the variables: notification year, region, race/color, sex, age group, and reported treatment regimen. Using Excel, descriptive statistical analysis was performed through absolute and relative frequencies of variables.

From 2019 to 2023, 933,431 cutaneous lesions were notified in Brazil, according to the recorded therapeutic regimen (PQT/PB – 6 doses; PQT/MB – 12 doses). The highest number of records occurred in 2019, representing 24.39% of the total, while the lowest occurred in 2020, with 16.61%. The Northeast region accounted for 41.22% of notifications in the analyzed period, with Maranhão standing out as responsible for 26.63% of cases in the region. In contrast, the South region had the lowest number of notifications, with 5.05%. Regarding the epidemiological profile, the age group with the highest incidence was 40–49 years, with 19.99% of notifications. There was predominance of individuals self-declared as mixed-race (“pardo”) totaling 61.74% of records. Regarding sex, cases were more frequent among women, who represented 65.46% of the total.

Data show that leprosy is concentrated in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, among female individuals, mixed-race, aged 40–49 years, and that it showed a significant reduction in cases in the year 2019. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen health surveillance actions to reduce the incidence of this disease, especially among the most vulnerable population.