title: Comparative study of anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-lipoarabinomannan assays for serodiagnosis of leprosy.
abstract: Three antibody assays (anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-LAM) were used to determine the levels of antibodies in the sera of untreated leprosy patients. All the three assays showed higher levels of antibodies in BL/LL patients as compared to I and TT/BT patients, as well as healthy controls. BL/LL patients showed positivity of 100%, 84.2% and 78.9% by anti-PGL-1, anti-35 kDa and anti-LAM assays respectively. All the three assays were negative for leprosy in healthy controls. Anti-PGL-1 assay was positive in 20% of TT/BT patients and 17.9% of I patients. Anti-35 kDa assay was negative in all the TT/BT patients and positive in 7.14% of I patients. Anti-LAM assay was positive in 13.3% of TT/BT patients and in 10.7% of I patients. Hence, while these assays are valuable in diagnosing BL/LL patients, their usefulness in diagnosing I, BT or TT leprosy is limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Dr ALM Post-graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai 600 113.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jayapal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Selvibai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mahalakshmi
authors.lastname: Pushkala
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Regunath
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramanian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C050016:lipoarabinomannan; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae