Loss of viability of Mycobacterium leprae isolated from nasal secretions of lepromatous leprosy patients following daily rifampicin and DDS therapy

Abstract

Excreta from blowing their noses was collected from 4 previously untreated multibacillary (LL), patients in the ALERT hospital, immediately before and during daily treatment with 600 mg, rifampicin and 100 mg dapsone (DDS). The Mycobaterium leprae recovered from the nasal secretions were enumerated and inoculated into the footpads of normal mice. Bacilli recovered from 2 of the patients failed to infect mice after 1 day's treatment, and all infectivity of the bacilli from the other 2 patients was lost after 2 days' treatment These findings demonstrate the rapidity with which rifampicin-containing multidrug treatment is likely to reduce a patient's level of infection to their contacts.