Mouse foot pad technique for evaluation of drug resistance of M. leprae and other laboratory techniques to be used in leprosy control programmes.

There is no need for mouse foot pad facilities for drug sensitivity testing to start leprosy control programmes, since the size of the problem is known. There will however be a need for some mouse foot pad work in later stages, to document relapse cases and test relapse strains for drug sensitivity. Arrangements should be made to ship such specimens to existing laboratories. There is more need however for facilities for monitoring drug intake. Finally, where nonexistant, there may be incidentally some need for quality control of imported drugs, which can be solved through collaboration with existing facilities in other countries.