title: Mycobacterium leprae particle agglutination in diagnosis and monitoring of treatment of leprosy.
abstract: IgM antibody levels against PGL-1 antigen were measured by M. leprae particle agglutination (MLPA) in 156 untreated leprosy patients. The seropositivity rate was much higher in newly untreated MB patients (84.7%) than in PB patients (19.7%). The mean MLPA titers in MB and PB declined significantly after 1 month of MDT (p < 0.001). Seropositivities in control serum specimens were 11.3 per cent in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients, 2.6 per cent in dermatologic patients and 4.4 per cent in a healthy population, in low titers. The study confirms that, anti PGL-1 assay using MLPA is a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of leprosy especially MB patients. Additionally, it provides an alternative tool in monitoring leprosy patients under MDT.
authors.affiliation: Phra-Pradaeng Hospital, Department of Communicable Disease Control, Samutprakarn, Thailand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kampirapap
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae