DRUG RESISTANCE (DAPSONE, RIFAMPICIN AND OFLOXACIN) IN PATIENTS WITH LEPROSY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 182,815 new cases of leprosy were reported across 184 countries in 2023, representing a 5% increase compared to 2022.(World  Health  Organization, 2024b, 2024a)  WHO recommends multidrug therapy (MDT), combining dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine, as the first-line treatment for both paucibacillary and multibacillary leprosy. Although MDT has significantly reduced disease burden, persistent and relapsed cases associated with resistant M. leprae strains have been documented in multiple endemic settings, potentially diminishing treatment efficacy and increasing the risk of relapse.(Lazo-Porras et al., 2020) Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is therefore a growing concern in leprosy control, consistent with the broader global threat of AMR, which undermines the effectiveness of life-saving treatments and increases the risk of poor clinical outcomes. To strengthen public health action, the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) supports countries in developing national surveillance systems and generating standardized AMR data.(World  Health  Organization, 2025)