LEUCOCYTOPENIA AFTER RIFAMPICIN AND OFLOXACIN THERAPY IN LEPROSY

New antimycobacterial agents and combined treatment regimens are being introduced for the treatment of leprosy. Ofloxacin is one such broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. In this study rifampicin plus ofloxacin were administered daily for 4 weeks (daily supervised dose). Two patie nts (and possibly a third patient who refused all investigations) out of 125 patients developed leucocytopenia during the third week of ther apy. It was associated with fever, malaise, nausea and loss of appetit e. They recovered after cessation of drug treatment. Patients receivin g ofloxacin should be monitored for constitutional symptoms suggestive of this complication even though the risk of such complication may be minimal.