Impact of histopathological and serological assessments on early diagnosis of leprosy relapse.

This study aimed to identify laboratory factors predicting leprosy relapse (LR) after multi-drug therapy (MDT). A case-control study included 80 patients treated with MDT at a national reference center over 12 years. The Relapse Group had 40 patients who relapsed after an average of 89.

Role of histopathological, serological and molecular findings for the early diagnosis of treatment failure in leprosy.

Background: Treatment failure (TF) in leprosy following multidrug therapy (MDT) presents a significant challenge. The current World Health Organization (WHO) fixed-duration MDT regimen, based on lesion count, might not be adequate. Leprosy lacks clear-cut objective cure criteria, and the predictive value of post-MDT histopathological findings remains uncertain.