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Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. doi:10.1128/AAC.01162-07
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

POWERFUL BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF MOXIFLOXACIN IN HUMAN LEPROSY

Leonard Wood Memorial Center for Leprosy Research, Cebu, Philippines

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: ikgelber{at}hotmail.com.

	Abstract

In a clinical trial of moxifloxacin in 8 multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients, moxifloxacin proved highly effective. In all trial patients a single 400 mg dose of moxifloxacin resulted in significant killing (p 0.006) of M. leprae ranging from 82% to 99%, mean 91%. In all instances, no viable bacilli were detected with an additional three weeks of daily therapy—this observed rapid bactericidal activity being only matched previously by rifampin. On moxifloxacin therapy skin lesions cleared exceedingly rapidly with definite improvement consistently observed after eight doses and progressive resolution continuing for the 56 days of the trial. Side effects, toxicities and laboratory abnormalities were mild, not requiring discontinuation of therapy.