title: The potential for vaccination in leprosy elimination: new tools for targeted interventions.
abstract: Despite the huge effort and massive advances toward the elimination of leprosy over the last two decades, the disease has proven stubborn; new case detection rates have stabilised over the last few years and leprosy remains endemic in a number of localised regions. The American Leprosy Missions and Infectious Disease Research Institute have undertaken a large research effort aimed at developing new tools and a vaccine to continue the push for leprosy elimination. In this paper, we outline our strategy for the integration of rapid diagnostic tests and lab-based assays to facilitate the detection of early or asymptomatic leprosy cases, as well as the efficient and focused implementation of chemoprophylaxis and immunisation to intervene in leprosy development and transmission.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA. mduthie@idri.org
authors.forename: Malcolm S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Duthie
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saunderson
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Reed
mesh_terms: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016358:Contact Tracing; D006801:Humans; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007917:Leprostatic Agents