title: Significance of antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-I in leprosy diagnosis.
abstract: A gelatin particle agglutination assay for the detection of anti PGL-I antibodies in 40 clinically diagnosed and variously classified groups of leprosy cases revealed elevated PGL-I antibody titers in 85% of cases. In contrast, the slit-skin smear examination was positive in only 30% of cases. It was further observed that, out of 28 cases with Bacteriological Index (B.I.) zero, 22 cases (78.5%) had significant levels of PGL-I antibodies. There was no case in which the slit skin smear was positive and the PGL-I antibody titer was not significant. The elevated titers of PGL-I antibody better correlated (84%) with histopathological findings than did B.I. Thus it was concluded that estimation of PGL-I antibody titer is a better supplement to clinical diagnosis than B.I. Significant levels of PGL-I antibody were seen in 85% of cases who had no earlier chemotherapy or were treated for less than 2 months. Similar findings were observed in 12 patients who were on MDT for more than 5 months but for less than 2 years. In order to determine the significance of anti PGL-I antibodies in monitoring the response of patients to chemotherapy, a longer follow up with a greater number of cases should be contemplated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae