Relapses during long-term follow up with drug-susceptible M. leprae among multibacillary leprosy patients treated with multidrug therapy regimens; case reports.

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.