Overview and Current Advances in Dapsone Hypersensitivity Syndrome

As a sulfone antibacterial agent, dapsone has been widely used to treat leprosy. Moreover, dapsone is also used in many immune diseases such as herpetic dermatitis because of its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, dapsone can cause several adverse effects, the most serious being dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. Dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome is characterized by a triad of eruptions, fever, and organ involvement, which limits the application of dapsone to some extent.

In this article, we review current research about the interaction model between HLA-B*13:01, dapsone, and specific TCR in dapsone-induced drug hypersensitivity. In addition to the proposed mechanisms, we also discussed clinical features, treatment progress, prevalence, and prevention of dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome. These studies reveal the pathogenesis, clinical features, and prevalence from the perspectives of genetic susceptibility and innate and adaptive immunity in dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome, thereby guiding clinicians on how to diagnose, prevent, and treat dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome.