Drug resistance in patients with leprosy in the United States

Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan;58(1):72-3. doi: 10.1093/cid/cit628. Epub 2013 Sep 24.

Abstract

Molecular drug susceptibility testing was performed on 39 US patients with leprosy. Of these, 2 had dapsone-resistant Mycobacterium leprae and 1 of these patients also had rifampin-resistant M. leprae. Even though antileprosy drug resistance occurs in this leprosy population, resistance does not appear to be a major problem.

Keywords: United States; drug resistance; leprosy.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Dapsone / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Leprosy / microbiology*
  • Mycobacterium leprae / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium leprae / genetics
  • Mycobacterium leprae / isolation & purification
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • United States

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Dapsone
  • Rifampin