title: Evaluation of novel tools to facilitate the detection and characterization of leprosy patients in China.
abstract: Leprosy is the disabling outcome of chronic infection with Mycobacterium leprae. The disease often evades early detection, particularly now that fewer clinicians are able to confidently diagnose the disease following the integration of leprosy control measures within general health services in many countries. Although leprosy is officially eliminated in China, endemic regions remain in some difficult-to-reach, underdeveloped areas in Southwest China. In order to better understand the extent of M. leprae infection and identify new leprosy cases in a timely manner, simple tools that can detect infection and the early disease are required. In this report we evaluated the performance of antigen-specific ELISA, the NDO-LID rapid diagnostic test, and antigen-specific whole blood assays (WBA) as potential diagnostic tools. Our data support the use of antibody detection tests and WBA to facilitate the diagnosis of multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy, respectively. These tools could be invaluable for increased, but simplified, monitoring of individuals in order to provide referrals for clinical exam and early leprosy diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Yuan Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Chao
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: You Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), 1616 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Malcolm S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Duthie
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.
authors.forename: Huan-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial