Table 5.
US National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) treatment guidelines42
| WHO classification | NHDP treatment | Dose | Treatment durationa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-lesion paucibacillary | Dapsone Rifampin |
100 mg/day 600 mg/day |
12 months, and then therapy discontinued |
| Paucibacillary | Dapsone Rifampin |
100 mg/day 600 mg/day |
12 months, and then therapy discontinued |
| Multibacillary | Dapsone Rifampin Clofazimine |
100 mg/day 600 mg/day 50 mg/day |
24 months, and then therapy discontinued |
Notes:
a
The recommended durations of treatment are sufficient, even though large numbers of dead bacilli may remain in the tissues for several years, before they are eliminated by physiological processes. There is no evidence that additional, prolonged treatment hastens the elimination of these dead organisms.