Pattern of relapses in pauci-bacillary leprosy patients treated with M.D.T. (W.H.O. 1982)

Out of 92 Pauci-bacillary leprosy patients treated with MDT (WHO 1982), two patients developed indisputable clinical signs of relapse during 10th and 26th month of observation period. Two more patients developed reversal reaction during 8th and 12th month of observation period, which we presume to be early manifestation of relapse. Addition of a more bactericidal drug, rifampicin, appear to have a bearing on the incidence of relapse, though not on it's incubation period. No change of classification was noticed at the time of relapse. Incidence of relapse in female patients was much higher than in male patients.