[Bacteriologic study in patients with multibacillary leprosy treated with rifampicin and acedapsone]

A bacteriologic study of 116 patients with multibacillary leprosy from Guantanamo City is made. Samples for bacteriologic examination were derived from both auricular lobules, the two elbows, and the middle phalanges of the third finger. The microscopic examination found acid-alcohol-resistant bacilli in 19% of patients, while failure to find any of these organisms occurred in 81%.