[Immunomodulator treatment of multibacillary leprosy using extracts of microbial ribosomes]. / Traitement immunomodulant de la lèpre multibacillaire par extraits de ribosomes microbiens.

Ribomunyl can in practice be profitably included in the range of immunostimulants, but it requires weekly injections and hence surveillance that will also enable any adverse reactions to be monitored. Its action and tolerance after polychemotherapy have still to be studied. On the basis of our experience, we feel that only isoprinosine, whose effectiveness and good tolerance we have demonstrated, can be used for self-treatment in a mass campaign.

[Efficacy of combined treatments comprising 6 months' administration of rifampicin in multibacillary leprosy]. / Efficacité de traitements combinés comportant six mois d'administration de rifampicine dans la lèpre multibacillaire.

Ten patients infected with mouse proven DDS-resistant bacilli were treated with the following combined regimen: RMP 600 2/7 6 months, ETH 500 7/7 6 months and DDS 100 7/7 12 months. Follow up was for 27-54 months, without relapses. Added to patients from previous study (Int. J. Lepr. 1984, 52, 297-303) the 95% confidence limit decreases from 12 to 9%.

[Staining of Mycobacterium leprae: comparison between the Lapeyssonnie and Causse technic on the one hand and Thelep's technic on the other in the evaluation of the bacteriological index]. / Coloration du Mycobacterium leprae: comparaison des techniques de Lapeyssonnie et Causse d'une part et de Thelep d'autre part dans l'évaluation de l'indice bactériologique.

In the present review, two staining techniques have been compared to evaluate bacteriological index: the Lapeyssonnie and Causse's technique, used in french speaking Africa, and the one recommended by the O.M.S. scientific panel on chemotherapy of leprosy, Thelep. It appears that the former facilitates the finding of a greater number of bacilli. More efficient, it is also easier and faster than the latter one and, consequently, more adapted to logistic constraints attached to the fight against endemic leprosy in Africa.

Deoxyfructo-serotonin: a new drug with anti-leprosy activity.

In the mouse foot pas, deoxyfructo-serotonin (DFS) shows a definite inhibitory effect on the multiplication of M. leprae in Dapsone-sensitive as well as Dapsone-resistant cases. In clinical trials, based on 7 cases treated with DFS for an average period of 6 months, the beneficial effects of DFS are observed after a few weeks of treatment in BB cases, and after a few months in LL cases. In addition to clear improvements in the appearance of the skin (regression and healing of nodules, almost complete disappearance of infiltration, etc) one observes in the majority of cases a rapid improvement in the bacteriological and morphological indexes, the latter falling to 0%. In the course of these studies, no single suggestion of intolerance was detected.

[Treatment of amibiasis with short-term secnidazole therapy]. / Le traitement de l'amibiase par le secnidazole en cure courte.

The authors have treated: a) 48 cases of E. histolytica histolytica intestinal amoebiasis by a single dose of 35 mg/kg of secnidazole with 98 p. 100 of parasitological success; b) 122 cases of E. histolytica minuta with several procedures: a unique dose of 25 mg/kg gives no success in 16.6 p. 100 of the cases, but the same single dose during three days gets only 2 p. 100 of failure; c) 22 cases of hepatic amoebiasis by a daily dose of 25 to 33 mg/kg during 5 days with success in every cases. Tolerance has been excellent. These short cures, facilitated by the long half-life of secnidazole are particularly easy to apply in developing countries.

[Acceleration by isaxonine of muscle reinnervation. Electrophysiological demonstration in leprotic neuropathy (author's transl)]. / Accélération de la réinnervation musculaire par l'isaxonine. Mise en évidence électrophysiologique au cours des neuropathies hanséniennes.

On a model of compressive human neuropathy--leprous neuropathy occuring below an osteoligamentary canal following a process of sclerosis--a double-blind survey of isaxonine versus a placebo was undertaken after matching of patients to obtain similar pairs. After four months of treatment with isaxonine, the electrophysiological tests (EMG of the anterior tibialis and of the abductor digiti minimi muscle) showed a very significant improvement in the graphs of patients receiving the active agent, as compared to a lack of improvement, even an aggravation for those patients receiving the placebo. It may thus be concluded that muscular reinnervation has occurred, either by sprouting of the remaining healthy fibers or by regeneration of the damaged axons, or by both phenomena simultaneously.

[Morphologic and biologic properties of diphtherroid organisms (LDC) isolated in leprosy]. / Propriétés morphologiques et biologiques des organismes diphtéroïdes (LCD) isolés chez les lépreux.

Acid-alcohol-fast bacteria are not always detectable in all leprosy lesions. Non acid-fast microorganisms may be associated with acid-fast bacteria. The most frequently isolated strains from leprosy lesions are non acid-fast bacteria, morphologically related to C. diptheirae. Hence their designation as diphtheroïds or LDC (leprosy derived corynebacteria). Their antigenic structure is more closely related to M. leprae and other mycobacteria than to classical corynebacteria. This leads to the hypothesis of a potential role in the pathogenesis of leprosy and their use as an antigen for skin tests by leprosy patients.