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Chemotherapy of Leprosy

Introduction

• Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by an acid fast


bacillus , Mycobacterium leprae.

• This bacillus multiplies very slowly in the body and not at all in
culture media.

• It is essentially disease of peripheral nerves but it also affects


the skin, and sometimes the eye, mucosa of upper respiratory
tract, bone and testes.
Classification of leprostatic drugs
• The availble drugs may be classed into the sulphones and
nonsulphones
• Sulphones – Dapsone, sulfoxone sodium
• Nonsulphones:
1. Antibiotics – rifampicin
2.Phenazine dye: Clofazimine
3.Thioureas: Thiacetazone
4. Sulphonamides: Sulfadoxines
5. Anti inflammatory drugs: Aspirin, Chloroquine, Antimonials,
Corticosteroids
Forms of Leprosy
• Indeterminate
• Tuberculoid
• Lepromatous
• Dimorphous
WHO Regimens

• For treatment purposes leprosy patients are divided into:

• i) those suffering from multibacillary leprosy ( Lepromatous,


borderline lepromatous )

• ii) those suffering from paucibacillary leprosy ( tuberculoid,


borderline – tuberculoid and indeterminate)
WHO Regimens
• Multibacillary leprosy ( 3 drug regimen)
• Rifampicin : 600 mg once – monthly, supervised
• Dapsone: 100 mg daily, self administered
• Clofazimine: 300 mg once monthly, supervised

• Treatment should be given for at least 2 yrs .

• Paucibacillary leprosy ( 2 drug regimen)


• Rifampicin: 600 mg once – monthly, supervised
• Dapsone: 100 mg daily , self – administered.

• Treatment should be given for 6 months

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