Leprosy survey among rural communities and wild armadillos from Amazonas state, Northern Brazil.

There is evidence that in southern US, leprosy is a zoonosis infecting wild Dasypus novemcinctus armadillos but the extent of this finding is unknown. This ecological study investigated leprosy in rural communities and in wild armadillos from the Brazilian Amazon. The study area was the Mamiá Lake of Coari municipality, Amazonas State, Northern region, a hyper endemic leprosy area where residents live on subsistence farming, fishing and armadillo hunting and its meat intake are frequent. The leprosy survey was conducted in sixteen communities by a visiting team of specialists. Local partakers provided wild armadillos to investigate M. leprae infection. Volunteers had complete dermato-neurological examination by a dermatologist with expertise in leprosy diagnosis, suspect skin lesions were biopsied for histopathology (Hematoxylin-eosin/HE, Fite-Faraco/FF staining); slit skin smears were collected. Armadillos' tissue fragments (skins, spleens, livers, lymph nodes, adrenal glands, others) were prepared for histopathology (HE/FF) and for M. leprae repetitive element-RLEP-qPCR. Among 176 volunteers, six new indeterminate leprosy cases were identified (incidence = 3.4%). Suspect skin sections and slit skin smears were negative for bacilli. Twelve wild D. novemcinctus were investigated (48 specimens/96 slides) and histopathological features of M. leprae infection were not found, except for one skin presenting unspecific inflammatory infiltrate suggestive of indeterminate leprosy. Possible traumatic neuroma, granuloma with epithelioid and Langhans cells, foreign-body granuloma were also identified. Granulomatous/non-granulomatous dermatitides were periodic-acid-Schiff/PAS negative for fungus. M. leprae-RLEP-qPCR was negative in all armadillos' tissues; no bacillus was found in histopathology. Our survey in rural communities confirmed the high endemicity for leprosy while one armadillo was compatible with paucibacillary M. leprae infection. At least in the highly endemic rural area of Coari, in the Brazilian Amazon region where infectious sources from untreated multibacillary leprosy are abundant, M. leprae infected armadillos may not represent a major source of infection nor a significant public health concern.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by nested polymerase chain reaction in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens / Detecção do complexo Mycobacterium tuberculosis por nested polymerase chain reaction em espécimes pulmonares e extrapulmonares

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of nested polymerase chain reaction (NPCR) with that of cultures in the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens. METHODS: We analyzed 20 and 78 pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens, respectively, of 67 hospitalized patients suspected of having tuberculosis. An automated microbial system was used for the identification of Mycobacterium spp. cultures, and M. tuberculosis IS6110 was used as the target sequence in the NPCR. The kappa statistic was used in order to assess the level of agreement among the results. RESULTS: Among the 67 patients, 6 and 5, respectively, were diagnosed with pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and the NPCR was positive in all of the cases. Among the 98 clinical specimens, smear microscopy, culture, and NPCR were positive in 6.00%, 8.16%, and 13.26%, respectively. Comparing the results of NPCR with those of cultures (the gold standard), we found that NPCR had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 83%, respectively, in pulmonary specimens, compared with 83% and 96%, respectively, in extrapulmonary specimens, with good concordance between the tests (kappa, 0.50 and 0.6867, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although NPCR proved to be a very useful tool for the detection of M. tuberculosis complex, clinical, epidemiological, and other laboratory data should also be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. .

OBJETIVO: Comparar o desempenho da técnica nested polymerase chain reaction (NPCR) com aquele de culturas na detecção do complexo Mycobacterium tuberculosis em espécimes pulmonares e extrapulmonares. MÉTODOS: Analisamos 20 e 78 espécimes pulmonares e extrapulmonares, respectivamente, de 67 pacientes hospitalizados com suspeita de tuberculose. Um sistema automatizado foi utilizado na identificação de culturas de Mycobacterium spp., e M. tuberculosis IS6110 foi utilizada como sequência alvo na NPCR. A estatística kappa foi utilizada para verificar a concordância entre os resultados. RESULTADOS: Entre os 67 pacientes, 6 e 5, respectivamente foram diagnosticados com tuberculose pulmonar e extrapulmonar, e a NPCR foi positiva em todos os casos. Entre os 98 espécimes clínicos, a baciloscopia, cultura e NPCR foram positivas em 6,00%, 8,16% e 13,26%, respectivamente. Comparando-se os resultados da NPCR com aqueles da cultura (padrão ouro) nos espécimes pulmonares, a sensibilidade e a especificidade foram 100% e 83%, respectivamente, enquanto essas nos espécimes extrapulmonares foram 83% e 96% respectivamente, com boa concordância entre os testes (kappa, 0,50 e 0,6867, respectivamente). CONCLUSÕES: Embora a NPCR tenha se mostrado uma ferramenta muito útil na detecção do complexo M. tuberculosis, No entanto, os resultados positivos da NPCR devem ser associados à clínica, dados clínicos, epidemiológicos e outros dados laboratoriais devem também ser considerados no diagnóstico e tratamento da tuberculose pulmonar e extrapulmonar. .

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by nested polymerase chain reaction in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of nested polymerase chain reaction (NPCR) with that of cultures in the detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens. METHODS: We analyzed 20 and 78 pulmonary and extrapulmonary specimens, respectively, of 67 hospitalized patients suspected of having tuberculosis. An automated microbial system was used for the identification of Mycobacterium spp. cultures, and M. tuberculosis IS6110 was used as the target sequence in the NPCR. The kappa statistic was used in order to assess the level of agreement among the results. RESULTS: Among the 67 patients, 6 and 5, respectively, were diagnosed with pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, and the NPCR was positive in all of the cases. Among the 98 clinical specimens, smear microscopy, culture, and NPCR were positive in 6.00%, 8.16%, and 13.26%, respectively. Comparing the results of NPCR with those of cultures (the gold standard), we found that NPCR had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 83%, respectively, in pulmonary specimens, compared with 83% and 96%, respectively, in extrapulmonary specimens, with good concordance between the tests (kappa, 0.50 and 0.6867, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although NPCR proved to be a very useful tool for the detection of M. tuberculosis complex, clinical, epidemiological, and other laboratory data should also be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis.