Research regarding anti-PGL-I antibodies by ELISA in wild armadillos from Brazil.

Armadillos have been involved in leprosy transmission and are considered a source of Mycobacterium leprae in numerous reports. Clinicians from certain areas of the USA consider contact with armadillos a risk factor for leprosy. However, there is a challenge associated with the role of wild armadillos perpetuating human leprosy in the American Continent. The presence of anti-PGL-I antibodies was investigated in wild nine-banded armadillos from leprosy-endemic areas in State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, by ELISA performed on serum samples from 47 armadillos. Positive ELISA was obtained from 5 (10.6%) armadillos. Infected armadillos may play some role in leprosy transmission, disseminating bacilli in the environment, perhaps making it more difficult to interrupt transmission and reduce the number of new leprosy cases. ELISA is an efficient tool for seroepidemiological investigations of Mycobacterium leprae in armadillos.

Pesquisa de anticorpos anti PGL-I através de ELISA em tatus selvagens do Brasil / Research regarding anti-PGL-I antibodies by ELISA in wild armadillos from Brazil

Tatus têm sido envolvidos na transmissão da hanseníase e considerados como fonte de Mycobacterium leprae em muitas publicações. Médicos de partes dos EUA consideram o contato com tatus um fator de risco para hanseníase. Entretanto, há um desafio associado ao papel do tatu na perpetuação da hanseníase no Continente Americano. Foi pesquisada a presença de anticorpos anti-PGL-I em tatus selvagens de áreas endêmicas em hanseníase do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, através de ELISA realizado em amostras de soro de 47 animais. Elisa positivo foi encontrado em 5 (10.6%) tatus. Tatus infectados podem ter algum papel na transmissão da hanseníase disseminando bacilos no meio ambiente, talvez tornando mais difícil a interrupção da cadeia de transmissão e redução do número de casos novos de hanseníase. A técnica de ELISA é um eficiente método para investigação soroepidemiológica da presença do Mycobacterium leprae em tatus.

Armadillos have been involved in leprosy transmission and are considered a source of Mycobacterium leprae in numerous reports. Clinicians from certain areas of the USA consider contact with armadillos a risk factor for leprosy. However, there is a challenge associated with the role of wild armadillos perpetuating human leprosy in the American Continent. The presence of anti-PGL-I antibodies was investigated in wild nine-banded armadillos from leprosy-endemic areas in State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, by ELISA performed on serum samples from 47 armadillos. Positive ELISA was obtained from 5 (10.6%) armadillos. Infected armadillos may play some role in leprosy transmission, disseminating bacilli in the environment, perhaps making it more difficult to interrupt transmission and reduce the number of new leprosy cases. ELISA is an efficient tool for seroepidemiological investigations of Mycobacterium leprae in armadillos.

Comparison between anti-PGL-I serology and Mitsuda reaction: clinical reading, microscopic findings and immunohistochemical analysis.

The lepromin test, serum IgM antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae and in situ observations of T cell subsets in biopsies of Mitsuda reaction using monoclonal antibodies were performed on 44 untreated leprosy patients belonging to various classifications of the disease. The Mitsuda reaction was accessed clinically and histologically after 28 days. Clinical reading and histological analysis of Mitsuda reaction showed good agreement. The high positivity in clinical reading correlated with compact granulomas in histology. There is a graduation of Mitsuda reaction that follows the immunological spectrum of the disease. The histological study of Mitsuda reaction is valuable to confirm the immunological condition in doubtful clinical reaction. Anti-PGL-I IgM levels correlated with disease classification, increasing from the tuberculoid towards the lepromatous pole of the disease spectrum. There was an inverse correlation between serum IgM antibody levels and clinical and histological reading of Mitsuda reaction. There were no statistical difference in quantities and distribution of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in all Mitsuda reactions. The pattern of cellular content of Mitsuda reaction could not be related to the T cells.