Under the WHO recommended multidrug therapy for leprosy, a patient is classified as paucibacillary with fewer than five skin lesions and a negative slit-skin smear. What is the correct regimen?

• A Daily dapsone alone for 6 months
• B Monthly supervised rifampicin plus daily dapsone for 6 months ✓
• C Monthly supervised rifampicin plus daily clofazimine and dapsone for 12 months
• D Daily dapsone plus monthly rifampicin for 24 months

Explanation

The WHO MDT paucibacillary regimen consists of rifampicin given once monthly under supervision combined with daily self-administered dapsone, for a total of 6 months. The multibacillary regimen adds daily clofazimine and extends treatment to 12 months. Monotherapy with dapsone is obsolete because of rapid emergence of resistance, and 12 months with three drugs applies only to multibacillary cases, making option C the regimen for the wrong category.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 26th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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