Ashwin Kumar

TREATMENT:
Multi-drug therapy (MDT) and combining all three drugs(dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine) was first recommended. Because this treatment is quite expensive, it was not quickly adopted in most endemic countries. MDT remains highly effective and patients are no longer infectious after the first monthly dose.The first was a 24-month treatment for multibacillary (MB or lepromatous) cases using rifampicin, clofazimine, and dapsone. The second was a six-month treatment for paucibacillary (PB or tuberculoid) cases, using rifampicin and dapson. Surgical techniques, such as for the restoration of control of movement of thumbs, have been developed.

PREVENTION:
A single dose of rifampicin is able to reduce the rate of leprosy in contacts by 57% to 75%.
BCG is able to offer a variable amount of protection against leprosy as well as against tuberculosis.