Bacillaemia in leprosy and effect of multidrug therapy.
Twenty-five patients of bacilliferous leprosy (17 LL, 8 BL) were studied by the modified haemolysis method for occurrence of bacillaemia and its clearance after two multidrug therapy regimens. Acid-fast bacilli were found in 76% of all patients and in 88.2% LL and 50% BL patients. Bacillaemia occurred with significantly reduced frequency in patients with type II reaction. Acid-fast bacilli were demonstrable in peripheral blood after 1 month in one patient on MDT of an Indian Working Group and 3 lepromatous patients on WHO multidrug therapy. However, bacillaemia could not be demonstrated in any patients after 2 and 3 months of treatment with both regimens.
Chatterjee
G
G
Kaur
S
S
Sharma
V K
VK
Vaishnavi
C
C
Ganguly
N K
NK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology
D003622:Dapsone; D002991:Clofazimine; D012293:Rifampin