Evaluates accumulated data on the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of WHO multidrug therapy regimens for thetreatment of multi-bacillary and paucibacillary leprosy. Addressed to the managers of leprosy control programmes, the book aims to determine whether changes in these regimens, which have been widely used for more than twelve years, are needed. Noting that the effectiveness of multidrug therapy is now well established, the report concentrates on the continuing need to simplify the administration of existing drugs, to improve accessibility for patients with special needs, and to derive the maximum benefit from newly developed drugs. Throughout, emphasis is placed on changes that can provide the high quality control programmes needed to eliminate leprosy by the year 2000. The report has five sections. The first reviews findings from several studies of leprosy chemotherapy involving large numbers of patients. For multibacillary disease, the report concluded that the duration could now be fixed at 24 months and that the proviso to continue until skin smears are negative could be dropped. Concerning the treatment of paucibacillary disease, the report concluded that the six-month WHO multidrug treatment regimen has proved very effective and should continue to be used. The second section summarizes accumulated data on the safety, efficacy, optimum doses, and costs of currently available antileprosy drugs. Recommended chemotherapeutic regimens are presented in the third section. The remaining sections offer practical advice on operational issues relevant to the quality of control programmes, and review prospects for the development of new drugs.

DC.HQ

eng fre rus spa.

ben.

WHODOC

WHO monograph

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