Open AccessClinical trial of sparfloxacin for lepromatous leprosy
Author(s) -
Gertrude P. Chan,
B. Y. Garcia-Ignacio,
Venus Chavez,
J. B. Livelo,
Carmen Jiménez,
M. L. R. Parrilla,
Scott G. Franzblau
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.38.1.61
Subject(s) - sparfloxacin , ofloxacin , mycobacterium leprae , infectivity , leprosy , lepromatous leprosy , medicine , clofazimine , microbiology and biotechnology , antibacterial agent , skin biopsy , biopsy , pharmacology , immunology , biology , antibiotics , virus , ciprofloxacin
Nine previously untreated patients with lepromatous leprosy were treated with 200 mg of sparfloxacin daily for 12 weeks to determine whether this drug is bactericidal for Mycobacterium leprae in humans. The efficacy of therapy was monitored both clinically and by measuring changes in morphological index, mouse footpad infectivity, and the radiorespirometric activity of M. leprae organisms obtained from serial biopsy specimens and also by determining titers of phenolic glycolipid-I in serum. Most patients showed clinical improvement within 2 weeks of treatment; this was accompanied by significant reductions in the morphological index, mouse footpad infectivity, and bacillary radiorespirometric activity. After 4 weeks of treatment, all patients had a morphological index of zero and specimens from most patients were noninfectious for mice, while the median decrease in radiorespirometric activity was > 99%. Overall results by the rapid radiorespirometric assay paralleled those of the mouse footpad and morphological index assays. Sparfloxacin given at 200 mg once daily appears to be rapidly bactericidal in humans, with activity similar to that observed in a previous clinical trial with 400 mg of ofloxacin.