TY - JOUR KW - Canada KW - Hansen’s disease KW - Mycobacterium leprae KW - postexposure prophylaxis KW - Rifampin AU - Boodman C AU - Keystone J AU - Bogoch I AB -

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is uncommon in Canada. However, immigration from leprosy-endemic areas has introduced the infection to a Canadian context, in which most doctors have little knowledge of the disease. Although post-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PEP) is reported to decrease leprosy transmission, no Canadian guidelines advise clinical decision making about leprosy PEP. Here, we characterize the practice patterns of Canadian infectious disease specialists with respect to leprosy PEP and screening of household contacts by yearly physical examinations.

METHODS: Canadian infectious disease specialists with known experience treating leprosy were identified using university faculty lists. An online anonymous survey was distributed. Certain questions allowed more than one response.

RESULTS: The survey response rate was 46.5% (20/43). Thirty-five percent responded that PEP is needed for household contacts, 40.0% responded that PEP is not needed for household contacts, and 25.0% did not know whether PEP is needed (multinomial test = 0.79). Twenty-five percent responded that PEP should be given to all household contacts, 62.5% responded that PEP should be given to contacts of multibacillary cases, and 25.0% responded that PEP should be given to contacts who are genetically related to the index case. For specialists who prescribe PEP, 57.1% use rifampicin, ofloxacin (levofloxacin), and minocycline; 14.3% prescribe single-dose rifampicin; and 28.6% prescribe multiple doses of rifampicin (multinomial test = 0.11). In addition, 68.4% recommend yearly screening of household contacts, whereas 31.6% do not (multinomial test 0.17).

CONCLUSION: Consensus among Canadian infectious diseases specialists is lacking regarding leprosy PEP and screening of household contacts.

BT - Journal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada = Journal officiel de l'Association pour la microbiologie medicale et l'infectiologie Canada C1 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36340847 DA - 03/2022 DO - 10.3138/jammi-2021-0017 IS - 1 J2 - J Assoc Med Microbiol Infect Dis Can LA - eng N2 -

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is uncommon in Canada. However, immigration from leprosy-endemic areas has introduced the infection to a Canadian context, in which most doctors have little knowledge of the disease. Although post-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PEP) is reported to decrease leprosy transmission, no Canadian guidelines advise clinical decision making about leprosy PEP. Here, we characterize the practice patterns of Canadian infectious disease specialists with respect to leprosy PEP and screening of household contacts by yearly physical examinations.

METHODS: Canadian infectious disease specialists with known experience treating leprosy were identified using university faculty lists. An online anonymous survey was distributed. Certain questions allowed more than one response.

RESULTS: The survey response rate was 46.5% (20/43). Thirty-five percent responded that PEP is needed for household contacts, 40.0% responded that PEP is not needed for household contacts, and 25.0% did not know whether PEP is needed (multinomial test = 0.79). Twenty-five percent responded that PEP should be given to all household contacts, 62.5% responded that PEP should be given to contacts of multibacillary cases, and 25.0% responded that PEP should be given to contacts who are genetically related to the index case. For specialists who prescribe PEP, 57.1% use rifampicin, ofloxacin (levofloxacin), and minocycline; 14.3% prescribe single-dose rifampicin; and 28.6% prescribe multiple doses of rifampicin (multinomial test = 0.11). In addition, 68.4% recommend yearly screening of household contacts, whereas 31.6% do not (multinomial test 0.17).

CONCLUSION: Consensus among Canadian infectious diseases specialists is lacking regarding leprosy PEP and screening of household contacts.

PY - 2022 SP - 8 EP - 13 T2 - Journal of the Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada = Journal officiel de l'Association pour la microbiologie medicale et l'infectiologie Canada TI - Leprosy chemoprophylaxis of household contacts: A survey of Canadian infectious disease and tropical medicine specialists. UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9603017/pdf/jammi-2021-0017.pdf VL - 7 SN - 2371-0888 ER -