Combination therapy of sodium stibogluconate and rifampin in cutaneous leishmaniasis

Thirty-two patients having cutaneous leishmaniasis were divided into two groups: 16 were treated with sodium stibogluconate 600 mg intramuscularly daily for 12 days and 16 were treated with 600 mg rifampin daily for 21 days. The failure rate was 56% and 50%, respectively. The 17 patients who did not respond were treated with a combination of the two drugs, which produced better results in 13 of the 17 patients.