title: Relapses during long-term follow up with drug-susceptible M. leprae among multibacillary leprosy patients treated with multidrug therapy regimens; case reports.
abstract: A controlled clinical trial in highly bacilliferous multibacillary leprosy patients was initiated in 1977. We report here two cases of relapse during long-term follow up of patients 15 years after the start of treatment. The patients reported here were treated with rifampin, isoniazid, clofazimine and dapsone for the first 3 months followed by clofazimine and dapsone until 84 months in one case; the other case received the same treatment but had received dapsone alone for 60-80 months. The relapses occurred 6(1/2) 7(1/2) years after therapy was discontinued.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagarajan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
mesh_terms: D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000188:drug therapy; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000187:drug effects*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents