Use of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of leprosy

• Published in: Journal of medical microbiology Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 170 - 172
• Main Authors: Santos, A. R, Nery, J. C, Duppre, Nadia C, Gallo, Maria E. N, Filho, J. T. G, Suffys, P. N, Degrave, W. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.02.1997; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Differential; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; DNA, Bacterial - blood; Female; Hair - microbiology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Leprosy; Leprosy - diagnosis; Medical sciences; Mycobacterium leprae; Mycobacterium leprae - genetics; Mycobacterium leprae - isolation & purification; Nasal Mucosa - microbiology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tropical bacterial diseases; Human; Skin disease; Mycobacterium leprae; Repeated sequence; Leprosy; Mycobacterial infection; Infection; Polymerase chain reaction; Mycobacteriales; DNA; Bacteriosis; Mycobacteriaceae; Multibacillary leprosy; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Diagnosis; Detection
• ISSN: 0022-2615; 1473-5644
• DOI: 10.1099/00222615-46-2-170

1 Department of Tropical Medicine, Leprosy Sector, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil * Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Corresponding author: Dr P. Suffys. Received March 12, 1996 Accepted July 3, 1996 One of the main limitations for successful epidemiological control of leprosy is the lack of a method for its diagnosis in subclinical cases. Because of the long incubation period of the disease, liberation and spread of Mycobacterium leprae during subclinical stages -principally in cases of untreated multibacillary forms of leprosy - constitute the main source of infection. This report describes the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of M. leprae in different types of tissue samples (blood, lymph, nasal secretion and hair) from an individual who was suspected of having leprosy. Although no conclusive diagnosis could be made by traditional diagnostic methods, the individual was found to be infected with M. leprae after amplification of the bacterial DNA.