MINOCYCLINE-INDUCED HYPERPIGMENTATION IN LEPROSY

A 36-year-old man was treated with dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine for borderline lepromatous leprosy, After 9 months, his leprosy plaqu es became progressively more red and after 23 months, the clofazimine was stopped and he was given minocycline instead. Six weeks later, he developed blue-black pigmentation in his leprosy lesions. The histolog y was consistent with minocycline-induced hyperpigmentation. This is t he first report of minocycline-induced pigmentation in leprosy. We sug gest it is important to consider this side-effect before the administr ation of minocycline in leprosy, particularly if it is prescribed in p lace of clofazimine.