01429nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653003000055653002200085653001100107653002300118653001200141653002400153653002500177653002500202653001600227653001500243653001700258653002200275653003000297100001300327700001500340700001500355245008800370856004100458300001200499490000700511520057100518022001401089       2004                            d  c2004 Dec10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aFollow-Up Studies10aHumans10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aLeprosy, Borderline10aLeprosy, lepromatous10aMycobacterium leprae10aPhilippines10aRecurrence10aRisk Factors10aTreatment Failure10aWorld Health Organization1 aGelber R1 aBalagon VF1 aCellona RV00aThe relapse rate in MB leprosy patients treated with 2-years of WHO-MDT is not low.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v72n4a13.pdf  a493-5000 v723 a<p>A group of multibacillary patients is clearly at high risk for relapse following 2-yr WHO-MDT. Relapse is largely confined to BL or LL patients with a high BI initially, and occurs long after the discontinuation of therapy. This important group of patients at risk for treatment failure presents several important issues: the need to identify those at risk and the operational requirements needed for their long term follow-up. Also, this group of patients might well benefit from an alternative antimicrobial regimen from the outset, as well as upon relapse.</p>  a0148-916X