Orfloxacin as alternative drug in dapsone hypersensitive paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients?

Leprosy Mailing List, January 11th, 2009

Ref.: Orfloxacin as alternative drug in dapsone hypersensitive paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients?
From: Kamaladasa S. D., Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

Dear Dr Noto,

I would like to know the dosage and the duration of treatment with Orfloxacin for leprosy patients who are having sensitivity reaction to Dapsone?

If we start them on Orfloxacin 400 mg bd for 6 months plus monthly Rifampicin 600 mg would that be enough for PB therapy?

The drug literature form in the pack of course does not mention about Mycobacterium leprae as one of the sensitive organisms and also it says it should be taken 400 mg daily not exceeding 2 months duration.

Could you please let me know about the efficacy of this drug in treating leprosy, the dosage, the duration of the treatment and also reported complications of long term therapy?

I would greatly value your opinion.

Thanks

Dr S. D. Kamaladasa
Consultant Dermatologist
University of Sri Jayawardenapura
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka.