02848nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653000900054653001800063653001600081653001200097653003000109653002700139100001600166700001300182700002000195700001300215700001100228700001300239700001400252700001300266700001400279700001500293700001300308700001400321700001500335700001200350700001300362700001400375245019400389856013000583300000900713490000600722520170800728022001402436       2024                            d  c11/202410aTogo10aAcceptability10aFeasibility10aleprosy10aPost-exposure prophylaxis10asingle-dose rifampicin1 aBakoubayi A1 aHaliba F1 aZida-Compaore W1 aBando KP1 aKonu Y1 aTchade A1 aAkpadja K1 aAlaglo K1 aTchalim M1 aPatchali P1 aDjakpa Y1 aAmekuse K1 aGnossike P1 aGadah D1 aKasang C1 aEkouevi D00aThe Safety, Acceptability, and Feasibility of Single-Dose Rifampicin as Post-Exposure Chemoprophylaxis for Contacts of Leprosy Patients in Togo: A Mixed-Method Sequential Explanatory Study.  uhttps://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/tropicalmed/tropicalmed-09-00276/article_deploy/tropicalmed-09-00276.pdf?version=1731578407  a1-120 v93 a<p>The World Health Organization is encouraging countries to include contact screening and single-dose rifampicin administration as preventive chemotherapy for contacts of leprosy patients in their leprosy control activities. However, no study has been conducted to assess the safety of SDR-PEP and the acceptability and feasibility of this intervention in Togo. To assess the safety of SDR-PEP, we used a cohort design, and for acceptability and feasibility, we used a mixed method, combining a quantitative study to assess the safety of SDR-PEP in a cohort of contacts from recently diagnosed leprosy patients followed by a qualitative study to identify the social, cultural, or institutional factors that would influence the adoption of single-dose rifampicin as post-exposure prophylaxis for contacts of leprosy patients in Togo. For the quantitative study, all identified index patients agreed to the disclosure of their status to their contacts and provided a list of their contacts. All the contacts found agreed to take part in the study, and an appointment was made for screening. However, some contacts were absent on the screening day for no reason. All eligible contacts agreed to take SDR and were followed up after taking the drug. No severe adverse events were reported during the follow-up. For the qualitative study, 72 interviews (66 semi-structured interviews and 6 focus groups) were carried out, and it emerged that, overall, opinions were favorable on the acceptability and feasibility of implementing single-dose rifampicin as post-exposure prophylaxis for contacts of leprosy patients in Togo. However, a number of conditions need to be considered for more effective results.</p>  a2414-6366