title: Detection of a Mycobacterium leprae cell wall antigen in the urine of untreated and treated patients.
abstract: A total of 90 leprosy patients, 12 household contacts and 10 normal subjects were studied for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae cell wall antigen in urine using monoclonal antibody (ML30A2 IgG). In untreated multibacillary leprosy (BL-LL) the M. leprae cell wall antigen could be demonstrated in the urine of 14 (64%) patients by immunofluorescence (IF) and 22 (100%) by ELISA. In untreated paucibacillary leprosy (TT-BT), it could be demonstrated in 3 (11.5%) and in 13 (50%) patients by IF and ELISA methods respectively. All but 1 household contact (later confirmed to have BL leprosy) and all 10 normal subjects' urine was negative for M. leprae cell wall antigen by both methods. The same antigen was, however, demonstrated in urine of 50% paucibacillary patients who had received 6 months of treatment and in 68% multibacillary patients who had received 24 months of WHO recommended multidrug therapy. M. leprae cell wall antigen assays in urine will not be useful in the follow-up of leprosy patients on multidrug therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaishnavi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agnihotri
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ganguly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000652:urine*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial