title: Presence of Mycobacterium leprae DNA and PGL-1 antigen in household contacts of leprosy patients from a hyperendemic area in Brazil.
abstract: Leprosy is a highly infectious disease endemic to underdeveloped countries. In Maranhão State, Northeastern Brazil, the hyperendemic rate of 56.11 cases/100,000 inhabitants increased the necessity of better understanding the epidemiological profile of this population, particularly regarding efficient methods for evaluating individuals residing with diagnosed patients to understand disease transmission and the risk of infection. In this study, we examined the percentage of contacts with positive indices for Mycobacterium leprae DNA and phenol-glycolipid-1 antigen (PGL-1). PGL-1 was analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the ML-Flow test, and polymerase chain reaction of oral and nasal secretions of 808 leprosy contacts from Maranhão. PGL-1 was detected in 14.0% of patients and differed by operational classification of the index case (P < 0.05). Seropositive results of ML-Flow were 15.0% and identified individuals with and without Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine scars. Molecular diagnosis detected M. leprae DNA in 5.6% of oral samples and 4.6% of nasal tissues, and 87% of subjects resided with high bacillary load patients. This study reinforces the efficacy of combining molecular and serological techniques to identify potential bacillus carriers in the asymptomatic stage of infection, such as in household contacts, highlighting the importance of these meth-ods for monitoring hyperendemic populations.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: P M S
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: M B P
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: R E P
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofisiologia, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunofisiologia, Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: F R F
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: M F L
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: D M C
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina I, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Figueireido
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil silmaregina@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: S R F
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D001938:Brazil; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D057089:Pathology, Molecular / Q000379:methods*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D006017:Glycolipids; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae