Dapsone , a sulfone, belongs to the family of medicines called anti-infectives. Dapsone is used to treat leprosy (Hansen’s disease) and to help control dermatitis herpetiformis, a skin problem. When it is used to treat leprosy, dapsone may be given with one or more other medicines.
What is the drug of choice for leprosy?
Hansen’s disease is treated with a combination of antibiotics. Typically, 2 or 3 antibiotics are used at the same time. These are dapsone with rifampicin, and clofazimine is added for some types of the disease. This is called multidrug therapy.
Why rifampicin is given once a month in leprosy?
To promote compliance and to move away from long-term monotherapy such as dapsone. To retain rifampicin in all therapeutic regimens because of its powerful bactericidal action and its effectiveness even when taken once a month. To promote compliance and cost effectiveness.
Which crude drugs is used in treatment of leprosy and TB?
Rifampicin. Rifampicin is a member of the rifamycin group and was first used as a tuberculosis treatment, just like all other treatments for leprosy. Rifampicin is the only strongly bactericidal anti-leprosy drug that makes the patient non-infectious within days of initiation of treatment [26].
How does dapsone treat leprosy?
It is also used with other drugs to treat Hansen’s disease. Dapsone belongs to a class of drugs known as sulfones. It works by decreasing swelling (inflammation) and stopping the growth of bacteria.
How quickly does dapsone work?
It may take up to 12 weeks before you feel the full benefit of dapsone gel. If your acne does not improve after 12 weeks of treatment, call your doctor.
What is MDT and how is it used to treat leprosy?
Leprosy is curable with a combination of drugs known as multidrug therapy (MDT), as the treatment of leprosy with only one antileprosy drug (monotherapy) will result in development of drug resistance to that drug. The combination of drugs used in the MDT depends on the classification of the disease.
What is the recommended standard treatment duration for leprosy?
Recently the new guidelines of WHO states that “The same 3-drug regimen of rifampicin, dapsone and clofazimine may be used for all leprosy patients, with a duration of treatment of 6 months for PB leprosy and of 12 months for MB leprosy.
How do I take MDT?
Give the patient the first dose at home or in the Health Post under your supervision. Show them which drugs from the MDT blister pack should be taken every day for days 2–28. Give the patient enough blister packs to last until the next visit.
Is dapsone an antibacterial drug?
Dapsone is a bacteriostatic antibacterial sulfonamide drug used in the treatment of numerous systemic and dermatologic conditions.
Can penicillin cure leprosy?
Doctors recommend long-term treatment, usually for 6 months to a year. If you have severe leprosy, you may need to take antibiotics longer. Antibiotics can’t treat the nerve damage that comes with leprosy.
What are the treatment options for leprosy?
Patients with mid-borderline ( BB ), borderline lepromatous (BL), and lepromatous ( LL) leprosy can be treated with the MB regimen. Any patient who is slit-skin smear positive should be treated with 12 months of MB MDT.
What is the mechanism of action of dapsone?
Description: Dapsone is a sulfone that inhibits the synthesis of dihydrofolic acid by competing with para-aminobenzoic acid for the active site of dihydropteroate synthetase in susceptible organisms.
Does rifampin kill M leprae?
Rifampin is a potent bactericidal for M. leprae (see Chapter 5.2 ), and the only bactericidal drug included in MDT regimens. Four days after a single 600 mg dose, bacilli from a previously untreated MB patient are no longer viable [15].
