title: Effect of treatment on PCR positivity in multibacillary leprosy patients treated with conventional and newer drugs ofloxacin and minocycline.
abstract: In order to develop objective criteria to monitor trends of therapeutic responses positivity of PCR signals and ATP assay methods has been compared in multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients. Biopsies from lesions of 95 BL/LL patients before and after one year of treatment with a new drug regimen comprising of conventional and newer drugs ofloxacin and minocycline have been studied. These biopsies were processed for bacillary ATP assay and PCR positivity for a 36 kDa gene target by earlier published methods. In the untreated patients bacillary ATP levels were detectable in all specimens and ranged from 0.02 to more than 36 pg/millions organisms. After one year of treatment ATP levels were not detectable in any of the 57 biopsies specimens available for analysis. However, PCR signals were detectable in 3 out of 57 biopsies. In two specimens signals were very weak detectable only by hybridization. It may be concluded that DNA based PCR assay may be useful in monitoring the trends of therapeutic responses in MB patients under treatment.
authors.affiliation: Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy (Indian Council of Medical Research), Tajganj, India.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katoch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Natrajan
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: U D
authors.initials: UD
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: V D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Katoch
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008911:Minocycline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D003622:Dapsone; D015242:Ofloxacin; D002991:Clofazimine; D008911:Minocycline; D012293:Rifampin