title: DNA amplification for detection of leprosy and assessment of efficacy of leprosy chemotherapy.
abstract: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae was applied to fresh skin biopsies and slit-skin smears from 122 untreated leprosy patients. The PCR positivity rates in biopsies were 95.6% in multibacillary (MB) cases and 44.2% in paucibacillary (PB) cases. Following 1 month of treatment, MB cases declined by 54.3% and PB cases by 61.8% of initial values. Six-month values also declined from initial positivity rates to 50.3% and 53.8% of initial values in MB and PB, respectively. Larger declines in the rate of positivity were seen for skin-smear samples at 1 and 6 months in both MB and PB, but overall PCR positivity rates were lower than biopsy rates for M. leprae.
authors.affiliation: Swellengrebel Laboratory of Tropical Hygiene, Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kampirapap
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singtham
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Klatser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiriyawipart
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial