@article{11062,
  keywords = {Drug Therapy, Combination, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, leprosy, Recurrence, Rifampin},
  author = {Pattyn S R and Groenen G and Bourland J and De Muynck A and Grillone S and Grossetete G and Husser J A and Janssens L},
  title = {The incubation time of relapses after treatment of multibacillary leprosy with rifampicin containing regimens.},
  abstract = {<p>In order to determine the duration of follow-up needed to evaluate the efficacy of short-course bactericidal regimens for multibacillary leprosy, information is needed on the incubation time of relapses after stopping treatment. Several groups of patients, who had been on rifampicin-containing regimens, were followed up for periods ranging from 4 to 10 years. Two groups of relapses were observed: early relapses occurring within 3.5 years after stopping treatment, with a median incubation time of 1 year and 10 months (upper limit of 95% confidence interval: 2 years); and late relapses occurring more than 3.5 years after stopping treatment, with a median incubation of 5 years. Early relapses are probably due to insufficient treatment, and late relapses to persisting bacilli or to reinfection. It is concluded that the efficacy of short-course RMP-containing therapeutic regimens can be evaluated by observing the occurrence of early relapses, 50% of which occur before 2 years after the end of therapy.</p>},
  year = {1988},
  journal = {European journal of epidemiology},
  volume = {4},
  pages = {231-4},
  month = {1988 Jun},
  issn = {0393-2990},
  doi = {10.1007/bf00144758},
  language = {eng},
}