A terramicina na lepra

ABSTRACT

Antibiotics, in the authors' opinion, represent a very promising group of drugs against lepromatous leprosy, although the most neglected. Tetracycline group has been known for its broad spectrum of acitivity, a low toxicity rate and a slowly developing type of resistance. All the references in the literature concerning the use of antibiotics in leprosy show how very irregular have been the periods of treatment, the dosage employed, the conditions under which trials were conducted in each group, as well as the lack of uniformity in the choosing of patients and the carryng out of the studies, all this yielding as could not have been otherwise, a disparity of conclusions. In 1964, Mariano, from Belo Horizonte (Brazil) reported good results in the treatment of lepromatous and tuberculoid cases with intramuscular Terramycin at a dosage of 100 mg every 48 hours. Encoureaged by these results the authors undertook a long-term study oxytetracycline in lepromatous leprosy. Twenty-two patients were included and Terramycin pre-constituted solution was applied by intramuscular route in dosages of 100 mg every 12 hours, during 12 months or so. For therapeutic control the test indicated below were performed. 1. Dermatological examination at the beginning ot treatment and on monthly intervals; 2. Bacilloscopic examination of mucus and skin lesions at the beginning of treatment, and on monthly; 3. Histopathological examination of biopsies taken at the beginning of treatment, and 6 and 12 months thereafter; 4. Color photos on starting treatment and 6 months later, eventually even every month. Nineteen patient presented circunscribed lesions with predominant papules, tubercles and nodules. Thw reamaining theree cases had erythema and diffuse infiltration. All of the 22 patients treated with oxytetracycline improved clinically. On the average, imoprovement took place between the first and the third month of treatment; from there on, involution of the lesions slowed down...