title: Seroepidemiological study of leprosy in a highly endemic population of south India based on an ELISA using synthetic PGL-I.
abstract: As part of a continuing longitudinal immuno-epidemiological study, blood samples were collected by finger prick from 4243 individuals living in a highly endemic area for leprosy in South India. The samples were tested for IgM antibodies against phenolic glycolipid-I using an ELISA. Seropositivity defined as optical density greater than or equal to 0.2000 was marginally higher in the age group 10-30 years and in females. There was no evidence for a higher level in contacts than in non-contacts. The future prospect for the large scale use of this ELISA in high-endemic populations in special epidemiological investigations or routine control programs as a serological tool to detect leprosy infection appears questionable.
authors.affiliation: Central Leprosy Teaching & Research Institute, Chengalpattu, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krishnamurthy
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhandayudapani
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Neelan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dutta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae