Single-Dose Rifampicin Leprosy Chemoprophylaxis for Household Contacts in Kiribati: An Audit of a Combined Retrospective and Prospective Approach.

ABSTRACT: Kiribati is a Pacific Island nation with a widely dispersed population and one of the highest rates of leprosy worldwide. Single-dose rifampicin post-exposure prophylaxis (SDR-PEP) of leprosy contacts has reduced new case detection rates in controlled trials. In 2018, an SDR-PEP programme was introduced in Kiribati that included screening and chemoprophylaxis of household contacts of leprosy cases retrospectively (2010-2017) and prospectively (2018-2022). We conducted a retrospective audit to determine the comprehensiveness, timeliness and feasibility of the SDR-PEP programme. Overall, 13,641 household contacts were identified (9791 in the retrospective and 3850 in the prospective cohort). In the retrospective cohort, 1044 (11%) contacts were absent, 403 (4%) were ineligible for SDR, and 4

SUBMITTER: Campbell PO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10976163 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature