Analysis of socioeconomic condition and bacillary index with respect to the development of Hansen's disease.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis and mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves. Although treatable, its early intervention can significantly reduce the occurrence of disability. India accounts for more than half of new cases globally. This study was undertaken to better understand the clinical traits of newly diagnosed cases in a tertiary facility of Western Uttar Pradesh, and a few from Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Methods: The observational prospective study was carried out on all the newly diagnosed leprosy cases who visited the Outpatient Department of ICMR-National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, Agra, during October 2019-December 2022. After obtaining answers to a prestructured questionnaire with their consent, participants were enrolled in the study and underwent clinical examination and a slit-skin smear test. Results: A total of 56 cases were investigated, and among them, 20 (35.7%) and 36 (64.3%) women and men, respectively, had positive contact with persons affected by leprosy either within family, friends, or neighbors. It is observed that due to the delayed detection of leprosy cases, paucibacillary (PB) patients converted into multibacillary (MB) patients, and the number of MB cases is much higher compared to PB cases. Conclusion: Leprosy instances continue to spread frequently from sick to healthy people indicating continued transmission of leprosy in society. Multidrug therapy in the management of leprosy cases is effective; however, early diagnosis of PB cases is still a challenge and needs to be addressed on priority.

Insights into Mycobacterium leprae Proteomics and Biomarkers-An Overview.

Although leprosy is curable, the identification of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of leprosy would play a pivotal role in reducing transmission and the overall prevalence of the disease. Leprosy-specific biomarkers for diagnosis, particularly for the paucibacillary disease, are not well defined. Therefore, the identification of new biomarkers for leprosy is one of the prime themes of leprosy research. Studying Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, at the proteomic level may facilitate the identification, quantification, and characterization of proteins that could be potential diagnostics or targets for drugs and can help in better understanding the pathogenesis. This review aims to shed light on the knowledge gained to understand leprosy or its pathogen employing proteomics and its role in diagnosis.

Real-time PCR-based quantitation of viable Mycobacterium leprae strain from clinical samples and environmental sources and its genotype in multi-case leprosy families of India.

The potential role of environmental M. leprae in the transmission of leprosy remains unknown. We investigated role of environment as a possible source of viable M. leprae responsible for transmission of leprosy. The samples were collected from 10 multi-case leprosy families comprising, slit skin smear (SSS) from 9 multibacillary (MB), 16 paucibacillary cases (PB), 22 household contacts, and 38 environmental soil samples. The quantum of viable M. leprae was estimated by qRT-PCR using 16S rRNA gene from soil and SSS. Genotypes of M. leprae were determined by gene sequencing. We could observe presence of viable M. leprae in 11 (44%) leprosy cases (M. leprae 16S rRNA gene copies range from 1.78 × 102 to 8.782 × 109) and 4 (18%) household contacts (M. leprae 16S rRNA gene copies range from 2.54 × 103 and 7.47 × 104). Remarkably, presence of viable M. leprae was also noted in 10 (53%) soil samples where in M. leprae 16S rRNA gene copies ranged from 4.36 × 102 to 7.68 × 102. M leprae subtype 1D was noted in most of the leprosy cases their household contacts and in the surrounding soil samples indicating source of infection in household contacts could be from environment or patients. M. leprae 16S rRNA copies were approximately similar in both PB cases and soil samples along with presence of SNP type 1 subtype 1D in both samples indicating source of M. leprae from patients to contacts was either from patients or environment or both.

Molecular characterization of environmental mycobacterial species from leprosy endemic tribal regions of North Purulia District, West Bengal.

Background: The aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) on Lowenstein-Jensen media supplemented with glycerol or pyruvate on two different temperatures from soil samples from leprosy endemic tribal areas of Purulia. Methods: Mycobacterium leprae DNA was isolated from these samples followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification using RLEP gene target specific to M. leprae. DNA was extracted from NTM cultures by lysis method. The presence of Mycobacterial DNA was confirmed by PCR using universal mycobacterial primer as 16S rRNA. NCBI nBlast was used for the authentication of NTMs, and phylogenetic tree was constructed using M. leprae and NTM species. Statistical Analysis Used: The percentile method and phylogenetic tree were used as stastical tool in this research article. Results: The rapid-growing mycobacteria (RGM) species, 4 (80%) was obtained more than that of slow growing mycobacteria (SGM) 1 (20%) supplemented on glycerol at 30°C followed by SGM species 8 (62%) were recovered more than RGM at 37°C. Similarly, SGM species 2 (100%) were recovered on supplemented with pyruvate at 30°C and no RGM growth when supplemented with pyruvate. Further, the recovery of RGM species 3 (60%) was better on supplemented with pyruvate than SGM species at 37°C. Mycobacterium timonense was first time isolated from Indian soil samples. Highest numbers of NTM were isolated from bathing place than washing and sitting places along with M. leprae PCR positivity. Phylogenetic tree showed a close genetic evolutionary association between Mycobacterium simiae and M. leprae in the leprosy endemic environment. Conclusion: Several NTM was isolated from soil of leprosy endemic area which might have role in susceptibility of leprosy. Phylogenetic tree revealed a closed association of M. simiae with M. leprae in the environment and might be maintaining the leprosy endemicity in north block of Purulia.