Leprosy among circus workers.

Seven (2.31%) circus workers of two circus companies visiting Amritsar were detected to be suffering from leprosy. Whether or not they acquired the disease during their stay in circus is not so important, but it is necessary to detect and treat these itinerant persons. Our experience clearly underlines the necessity for undertaking surveys of various workers living in crowded conditions (like circus), because of their occupation.

Pefloxacin in leprosy.

Fluoroquinolones, a new class of compounds characterised by broad antimicrobial spectrum including mycobacteria together with limited toxicity, have recently been introduced in the chemotherapy of various human infectious diseases. Pefloxacin, one of the members of this class, was recently demonstrated to be bactericidal against M.leprae in the mouse foot-pad model and clinically beneficial in lepromatous leprosy patients. Clinical response to standard MDT with added pefloxacin in ten previously untreated (both PB and MB) was compared with that in ten similar patients on MDT alone in the present trial. The results of chemotherapy were quantified by a method of clinical scoring. This pilot study showed that addition of pefloxacin led to significant and rapid clinical improvement. There were no side effects attributable to pefloxacin.

Improving NLEP performance in a low endemic area.

New innovative strategies of the medical officer of an upgraded urban leprosy centre of a low endemic state (Punjab) resulted in an increase in new case detection by seventy-four percent. Indigenous patients were much more regular than immigrant patients in colonies. The number of new indigenous punjabi patients has not shown any decline in last one decade, probably because of deficiencies in the functioning of NLEP. It is suggested that improved case detection by adopting strategies used by the authors and restricting free migration of untreated and partially treated patients would help in achieving the goals of NLEP.