Pefloxacin in leprosy

Fluoroquinolones, a new class of compounds characterised by broad antimicrobial spectrum including mycobacteria together with limited toxicity, have recently been introduced in the chemotherapy of various human infectious diseases. Pefloxacin, one of the members of this class, was recently demonstrated to be bactericidal against M.leprae in the mouse foot-pad model and clinically beneficial in lepromatous leprosy patients. Clinical response to standard MDT with added pefloxacin in ten previously untreated (both PB and MB) was compared with that in ten similar patients on MDT alone in the present trial. The results of chemotherapy were quantified by a method of clinical scoring. This pilot study showed that addition of pefloxacin led to significant and rapid clinical improvement. There were no side effects attributable to pefloxacin.