title: Relapse study in smear positive multibacillary (MB) leprosy after 1 year WHO-multi-drug therapy (MDT) in Cebu, Philippines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency, time interval to relapse and the possible risk factors for relapse in multibacillary (MB) leprosy after 1 year's treatment with the standard multi-drug therapy (MDT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Smear positive MB patients treated with MDT for 1 year were enrolled in a prospective relapse study between 1999 and 2005 at the Leonard Wood Memorial Center for Leprosy Research (LWM). After treatment completion, at yearly intervals, patients underwent slit-skin smear examination and were clinically monitored for possible signs of relapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  300 patients were recruited, and by 2009, follow-up totaled 1,913 patient years, with a mean of 6.4 years per patient. Only one case of relapse was detected, with an absolute relapse rate of 0.3% (0.52 per 1000 patient-years at risk (PYAR)); among a subset with pre-treatment bacterial indices (BI) of > or = 4 +, the rate was 0.6%. Relapse occurred 7 years after MDT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data provide strong evidence of the long-term efficacy of the one year WHO-MDT for multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients, even in those with a high initial BI.
authors.affiliation: Leonard Wood Memorial Center for Leprosy Research, Cebu, Philippines. armi_fmmd@yahoo.com.ph
authors.forename: Armi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maghanoy
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mallari
authors.forename: Marivic
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balagon
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saunderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056006:Leprosy, Multibacillary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D003622:Dapsone; D002991:Clofazimine; D012293:Rifampin