Toxoplasma gondii infection and high levels of IgE are associated to erythema nodosum leprosy (ENL).

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. The disease may evolve for inflammatory reactions, reversal reaction (RR) and erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), the major cause of irreversible neuropathy in leprosy, which occur in 1 in 3 people with leprosy, even with effective treatment of M. leprae. Leprosy remains persistently endemic in our region where it predominantly affects lowest socioeconomic conditions people, as Toxoplasma gondii infection in the municipality studied. Previously, we have shown T. gondii coinfection as a risk marker for leprosy, mainly in its severe form. This present study assessed whether T. gondii infection is also a risk factor for leprosy reactions and the predictive value of immunoglobulin production prior to development of leprosy reactions. Patients with leprosy (n = 180), co-infected or not with T. gondii, had their serum investigated for levels of IgA, IgE, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 anti-PGL-1 by ELISA prior to development of leprosy reactions. The serologic prevalence for T. gondii infection was 87.7% in leprosy reaction patients reaching 90.9% in those with ENL. The leprosy reaction risk increased in T. gondii seropositive individuals was two-fold ([OR] = 2.366; 95% confidence interval [CI 95%]: 1.024-5.469) higher than those seronegative, and considering the risk of ENL, this increase was even more evident (OR = 6.753; 95% CI: 1.050-72.85) in coinfected individuals. When evaluated the prediction of anti-PGL-1 immunoglobulin levels for development of leprosy reactions in patients coinfected or not with T. gondii, only the increase IgE levels were associated to occurrence of reactional episodes of leprosy, specifically ENL type, in patients coinfected with T. gondii, compared to those not coinfected or no reaction. Thus, the immunomodulation in co-parasitism T. gondii-M. leprae suggest increased levels of IgE as a biomarker for early detection of these acute inflammatory episodes and thereby help prevent permanent neuropathy and disability in leprosy patients.

Whole blood transcriptomics reveals the enrichment of neutrophil activation pathways during erythema nodosum leprosum reaction.

Introduction: Patients with the multibacillary form of leprosy can develop reactional episodes of acute inflammation, known as erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), which are characterized by the appearance of painful cutaneous nodules and systemic symptoms. Neutrophils have been recognized to play a role in the pathogenesis of ENL, and recent global transcriptomic analysis revealed neutrophil-related processes as a signature of ENL skin lesions. Methods: In this study, we expanded this analysis to the blood compartment, comparing whole blood transcriptomics of patients with non-reactional lepromatous leprosy at diagnosis (LL, n=7) and patients with ENL before administration of anti-reactional treatment (ENL, n=15). Furthermore, a follow-up study was performed with patients experiencing an ENL episode at the time of diagnosis and after 7 days of thalidomide treatment (THAL, n=10). Validation in an independent cohort (ENL=8; LL=7) was performed by RT-qPCR. Results: An enrichment of neutrophil activation and degranulation-related genes was observed in the ENL group, with the gene for the neutrophil activation marker CD177 being the most enriched gene of ENL episode when compared to its expression in the LL group. A more pro-inflammatory transcriptome was also observed, with increased expression of genes related to innate immunity. Validation in an independent cohort indicated that S100A8 expression could discriminate ENL from LL. Supernatants of blood cells stimulated in vitro with Mycobacterium leprae sonicate showed higher levels of CD177 compared to the level of untreated cells, indicating that the leprosy bacillus can activate neutrophils expressing CD177. Of note, suggestive higher CD177 protein levels were found in the sera of patients with severe/moderate ENL episodes when compared with patients with mild episodes and LL patients, highlighting CD177 as a potential systemic marker of ENL severity that deserves future confirmation. Furthermore, a follow-up study was performed with patients at the time of ENL diagnosis and after 7 days of thalidomide treatment (THAL, n=10). Enrichment of neutrophil pathways was sustained in the transcriptomic profile of patients undergoing treatment; however, important immune targets that might be relevant to the effect of thalidomide at a systemic level, particularly NLRP6 and IL5RA, were revealed. Discussion: In conclusion, our study reinforces the key role played by neutrophils in ENL pathogenesis and shed lights on potential diagnostic candidates and novel therapeutic targets that could benefit patients with leprosy.

Image Morphometric Analysis of B Cells and Plasma Cells in Erythema Nodosum Leprosum With Clinicopathological Correlation.

ABSTRACT: Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) occurs as an immunological complication of multibacillary leprosy (MBL). The pathogenesis of ENL is long considered to be a T-cell-mediated process. The role of B cells and plasma cells in ENL is not well described in the literature. Therefore, we investigated the B-cell and plasma cell infiltrates in the skin biopsies of biopsy-proven cases of ENL by immunohistochemistry and image morphometry and compared the result with paucibacillary leprosy and MBL. Moreover, we sought a correlation of the B-cell and plasma cell infiltrates with different clinical, hematological, histopathological, and bacteriological parameters as well as the T-cell subsets in the skin biopsies. Our study highlighted a significant reduction in the number of B cells from paucibacillary leprosy to MBL to ENL, although there was no significant variation in the plasma cell infiltrate. The plasma cell infiltrate correlated with absolute neutrophilia in the blood and the presence of eosinophils in the ENL lesions. Both B cells and plasma cells positively correlated with CD4-positive T-helper cells and the CD8-positive cytotoxic T cells. Besides, the B cells also correlated positively with the CD3-positive pan T cells in the biopsy and negatively correlated with the T-regulatory:T-cell ratio. Our results suggested the role of B cells and plasma cells even at the tissue level in the pathobiogenesis of ENL.

Hematological alterations in lepromatous leprosy: A cross-sectional observational study.

BACKGROUND: Dapsone has been the mainstay for the treatment of leprosy since its discovery in the 1940s. However, hematological disturbances are not uncommon in leprosy patients on daily dapsone therapy. Hence, the present study was conducted to document the hematologic alterations observed in lepromatous leprosy patients treated with Dapsone 100 mg daily. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted amongst 32 lepromatous leprosy patients treated with Dapsone 100 mg daily. A complete hemogram was conducted for all the study recruits. The test results were compared against the standard average values for adults for the given variables. The one sample t-test was employed to compare the difference between the study values and the standard normal values for adults. The statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The study reveals a marked decrease in hemoglobin concentration in patients on dapsone, 100 mg daily. Other hematological alterations found were reduced platelet count, reduced mean platelet volume, reduced Hematocrit, reduced Mean Corpuscular hemoglobin, reduced Mean Corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Treatment of lepromatous leprosy with 100 mg daily Dapsone therapy may lead to hematological alterations. These findings are suggestive of dapsone-induced hemolysis.

Lepromatous Reaction Type II: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects.

In Type II lepromatous reaction, there is exacerbation of humoral immunity, classified as Gell & Coombs Type III hypersensitivity reaction. It is more common in lepromatous borderline (LB) and lepromatous lepromatous (LL) patients. Our objective was to study the clinical and laboratorial expressions of lepromatous Type II reactions, establishing concordances between them, and for this the medical records of leprosy patients observed at the Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (HUCFF/UFRJ) were reviewed. There were a total of 358 leprosy cases over a period of 12 years. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data of 133 patients with Type II reaction were collected. Among the 133 patients, 19 were classified as borderline borderline (BB), 15 (11.3%) as LB, and 97 (72.9%) as LL. Mitsuda intradermal reaction was negative in all the 49 patients who underwent this test. Histopathologic study confirmed the diagnosis. Lepromatous patients (LP) presented positive bacilloscopy more frequently (73.91% of 68 patients) than borderline patients (BP) (26.9% of 24 patients). Among BP, 44% presented erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), which was seen in 71% of LP. Erythema multiforme (EM) occurred in 32% of BP and 13% of LP. Lucio phenomenon (LPh) was observed in 8 of 34 BP (23.6%), and 15 of 97 LP (15.4%). The understanding of the laboratorial and clinical presentations of reactional episodes are relevant to the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies, in order to avoid potential complications and comorbidities that cause disability, paralysis, deformities, and stigma of leprosy.

Differential immunoglobulin and complement levels in leprosy prior to development of reversal reaction and erythema nodosum leprosum.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is a treatable infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. However, there is additional morbidity from leprosy-associated pathologic immune reactions, reversal reaction (RR) and erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), which occur in 1 in 3 people with leprosy, even with effective treatment of M. leprae. There is currently no predictive marker in use to indicate which people with leprosy will develop these debilitating immune reactions. Our peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptome analysis revealed that activation of the classical complement pathway is common to both RR and ENL. Additionally, differential expression of immunoglobulin receptors and B cell receptors during RR and ENL support a role for the antibody-mediated immune response during both RR and ENL. In this study, we investigated B-cell immunophenotypes, total and M. leprae-specific antibodies, and complement levels in leprosy patients with and without RR or ENL. The objective was to determine the role of these immune mediators in pathogenesis and assess their potential as biomarkers of risk for immune reactions in people with leprosy. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: We followed newly diagnosed leprosy cases (n = 96) for two years for development of RR or ENL. They were compared with active RR (n = 35), active ENL (n = 29), and healthy household contacts (n = 14). People with leprosy who subsequently developed ENL had increased IgM, IgG1, and C3d-associated immune complexes with decreased complement 4 (C4) at leprosy diagnosis. People who developed RR also had decreased C4 at leprosy diagnosis. Additionally, elevated anti-M. leprae antibody levels were associated with subsequent RR or ENL. CONCLUSIONS: Differential co-receptor expression and immunoglobulin levels before and during immune reactions intimate a central role for humoral immunity in RR and ENL. Decreased C4 and elevated anti-M. leprae antibodies in people with new diagnosis of leprosy may be risk factors for subsequent development of leprosy immune reactions.

Serum Levels of Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) and In Situ Expression of MIF and Its Receptor CD74 in Lepromatous Leprosy Patients: A Preliminary Report.

Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and peripheral nerves. It may present as one of two distinct poles: the self-limiting tuberculoid leprosy and the highly infectious lepromatous leprosy (LL) characterized by M. leprae-specific absence of cellular immune response. The pro-inflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) enhance the bactericide activities of macrophages after interaction with its receptor, CD74. Importantly, MIF also possesses chemoattractant properties, and it is a key factor in situ for the activation of macrophages and in blood to promote leukocytes migration. MIF-mediated activation of macrophages is a key process for the elimination of pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis; however, its participation for the clearance of M. leprae is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of MIF as well as MIF and CD74 expression in skin lesions of LL and compare it with healthy skin (HSk) taken from subjects attending to dermatological consult. Samples of serum and skin biopsies were taken from 39 LL patients and compared with 36 serum samples of healthy subjects (HS) and 10 biopsies of HSk. Serum samples were analyzed by ELISA and skin biopsies by immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC smears were observed in 12 100× microscopic fields, in which percentage of stained cells and staining intensity were evaluated. Both variables were used to calculate a semi-quantitative expression score that ranged from 0 to 3+. We found no differences in MIF levels between LL patients and HS in sera. In addition, MIF was observed in over 75% of cells with high intensity in the skin of patients and HSk. Although we found no differences in MIF expression between the groups, a CD74 score statistically higher was found in LL skin than HSk (p < 0.001); this was the result of a higher percentage of cells positive for CD74 (p < 0.001). As a conclusion, we found that CD74-positive cells are intensely recruited to the skin with LL lesions. In this manner, MIF signaling may be enhanced in the skin of LL patients due to increased expression of its receptor, but further studies are required.

Complement C1q expression in Erythema nodosum leprosum.

Complement C1q is a soluble protein capable of initiating components of the classical pathway in host defence system. In earlier qualitative studies, C1q has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Erythema Nodosum Leprosum (ENL). However, little is known about the role of this complement in ENL reaction. In the present study we described the protein level of C1q production and its gene expression in the peripheral blood and skin biopsies in patients with ENL reaction and lepromatous leprosy (LL) patient controls before and after treatment. Thirty untreated patients with ENL reaction and 30 non-reactional LL patient controls were recruited at ALERT Hospital, Ethiopia. Peripheral blood and skin biopsies were obtained from each patient before and after treatment. The level of circulating C1q in the plasma was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA expression of the three C1q components, C1qA, C1qB, and C1qC in the peripheral blood and skin biopsies was determined by qPCR. Circulating C1q in the peripheral blood of untreated ENL patients was significantly decreased compared to LL patient controls. Untreated ENL patients had increased C1q gene expression in the peripheral blood compared to LL controls. Similarly, C1qA and C1qC gene expression were substantially increased in the skin biopsies of untreated ENL patients compared to LL controls. However, after treatment none of these genes show significant difference in both groups. In conclusion, while circulating C1q is inversely correlated with active ENL reactions, its gene expression is directly correlated with ENL. The decreased circulating C1q may suggest the utilization of C1q in immune-complex formation in these patients. Therefore, C1q could be a potential diagnostic marker for active ENL reactions as well as for monitoring ENL treatment.

Blood coagulation abnormalities in multibacillary leprosy patients.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy is a chronic dermato-neurological disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae infection. In 2016, more than 200,000 new cases of leprosy were detected around the world, representing the most frequent cause of infectious irreversible deformities and disabilities. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present work, we demonstrate a consistent procoagulant profile on 40 reactional and non-reactional multibacillary leprosy patients. A retrospective analysis in search of signs of coagulation abnormalities among 638 leprosy patients identified 35 leprosy patients (5.48%) which displayed a characteristic lipid-like clot formed between blood clot and serum during serum harvesting, herein named 'leprosum clot'. Most of these patients (n = 16, 45.7%) belonged to the lepromatous leprosy pole of the disease. In addition, formation of the leprosum clot was directly correlated with increased plasma levels of soluble tissue factor and von Willebrand factor. High performance thin layer chromatography demonstrated a high content of neutral lipids in the leprosum clot, and proteomic analysis demonstrated that the leprosum clot presented in these patients is highly enriched in fibrin. Remarkably, differential 2D-proteomics analysis between leprosum clots and control clots identified two proteins present only in leprosy patients clots: complement component 3 and 4 and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor family heavy chain-related protein (IHRP). In agreement with those observations we demonstrated that M. leprae induces hepatocytes release of IHRP in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that leprosy MB patients develop a procoagulant status due to high levels of plasmatic fibrinogen, anti-cardiolipin antibodies, von Willebrand factor and soluble tissue factor. We propose that some of these components, fibrinogen for example, presents potential as predictive biomarkers of leprosy reactions, generating tools for earlier diagnosis and treatment of these events.

Blood coagulation abnormalities in multibacilary leprosy patients

Hemostatic illnesses are frequently associated with acute and chronic infections. In the present work we demonstrated that leprosy patients developed hemostatic abnormalities, like the formation of an atypical lipid clot mass during sera harvesting, a phenomenon previously observed and never unraveled. We characterize the nature of the "leprosum clot", formed during a protrombotic state developed by some patients. During the proteomic analysis of the leprosum clot we discovered a set of potential serum biomarkers to leprosy reactional episodes diagnosis, which at this moment is based only in clinical features. Taking together, our data suggest that leprosy patients are suffering from a procoagulant status, being beneficiated by the introduction of routine coagulation tests during their treatment, which will aloud physicians to prevent some of the acute clinical symptoms related with superficial vein thrombosis such as cyanosis and tissue necrosis observed during severe cases of leprosy reactional episodes. (AU)

Cytokines as biomarkers to monitoring the impact of multidrug therapy in immune response of leprosy patients.

Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic infectious disease of the skin and nerves, caused by the intracellular bacilli Mycobacterium leprae. It is characterized by a spectrum of clinical forms depending on the host's immune response to M. leprae. Patients with tuberculoid (TT) leprosy have strong cell-mediated immunity (CMI) with elimination of the bacilli, whereas patients with lepromatous (LL) leprosy exhibit defective CMI to M. leprae. Despite advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of leprosy and the development of new therapeutic strategies, there is a need for the identification of biomarkers which be used for early diagnosis and to discrimination between different forms of the disease, as prognostic markers. Here, we analyzed the serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, IFN-γ and TNF in order to address the contribution of these cytokines in late phase of M. leprae infection, and the impact of multidrug therapy (MDT). Our results demonstrated that patients of LL group presented higher expression of serum levels of inflammatory cytokines before MDT, while TT patients presented a balance between inflammatory and regulatory cytokines. MDT changes the profile of serum cytokines in M. leprae infected patients, as evidenced by the cytokine network, especially in TT patients. LL patients displayed a multifaceted cytokine system characterized by strong connecting axes involving inflammatory/regulatory molecules, while TT patients showed low involvement of regulatory cytokines in network overall. Cytokines can be identified as good biomarkers of the impact of MDT on the immune system and the effectiveness of treatment.

Lucio phenomenon of leprosy LL type on pregnancy: A Rare Case.

Introduction: Lucio phenomenon is a rare type of reaction in untreated, diffusely infiltrative form of lepromatous leprosy type, characterised with ulcerative type of skin lesions. Case: A 29 year old Indonesian female, 7th months primigravida with a four-month history of painful scarlet spots that darken and ulcerate on both of her hands and legs. The patient was experiencing fever. The patient's eyebrows were lost and her earlobes were thickened 3 years ago. Slit-skin smear: BI 6þ,MI 7%. Histopathology: Lucio phenomenon. PCR detecting M. leprae DNA on skin lesion and amniotic fluid: positive; umbilical cord membrane and umbilical cord: negative. Anti-PGL-1 IgM and IgG: patient: 4,854 U/mL and 1,061 U/mL, respectively; 5 month-old baby: 5 U/mL and 1,724 U/mL, respectively; 1 year-old baby: 0 U/mL and 3 U/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Placenta is considered a protective barrier toward feto-maternal transmission of M. leprae. The baby had the passive antibody to M. leprae from the mother's blood transmitted through the umbilical cord as demonstrated by the presence of anti-PGL-1 IgG antibody.

Prostatic and testicular parameters in lepromatous patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) parameters in patients with lepromatous leprosy (LL). DESIGN: In a retrospective study, 23 male patients with LL were evaluated. PSA parameters (serum total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), free-to-total PSA ratio (f/tPSA), PSA Density (PSAD)) were assessed. PSA parameters were compared with a control group. RESULTS: The mean tPSA, fPSA, f/tPSA, prostate volume, and PSAD values of the patient group with LL were 1.87 +/- 0.81 ng/ml, 0.67 +/- 0.29 ng/ml, 0.36 +/- 0.11, 41.08 +/- 23.65 ml and 0.055 +/- 0.037, respectively. The mean tPSA, fPSA, f/tPSA, prostate volume, and PSAD values of the control group were 2.71 +/- 0.91 ng/ml, 0.80 +/- 0.34 ng/ml, 0.30 +/- 0.08, 65.0 +/- 28.73 ml and 0.049 +/- 0.028, respectively. The mean tPSA and prostate volume values were found to be significantly lower in the patient group with LL (p = 0.002 and 0.004, respectively). No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of mean fPSA and PSAD values (p = 0.18 and 0.5, respectively). The mean f/tPSA value was found to be significantly higher in the patient group with LL (p = 0.02). Testes in 16 (69%) patients with LL were bilaterally atrophic. CONCLUSIONS: Serum tPSA values and prostate volumes in the patients with LL were significantly reduced and f/tPSA values were significantly increased. Testicular atrophy in the lepromatous cases might be due to leprosy-related orchitis and associated with a reduction in prostatic volume.

Pancytopenia due to lepromatous involvement of the bone marrow: successful treatment with multidrug therapy.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms depending on the ability of the host's immune system to resist the infection. The disease is frequently associated with sensory loss in skin lesions and damage in peripheral nerve trunks leading to nerve function impairment. In lepromatous leprosy, the immune system offers no protection against the multiplying bacilli and this results in heavy infiltration of the internal organs. We report a case of florid lepromatous leprosy with bone marrow suppression due to the disease, presenting with anemia, leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia. The hematological abnormalities were fully reversed by mutidrug therapy for leprosy. We suggest that infiltration of the bone marrow by Mycobacterium leprae can cause pancytopenia, which can be cured by treatment of the leprosy alone.

Increased serum circulatory levels of interleukin 17F in type 1 reactions of leprosy.

PURPOSE: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae affecting mainly skin and peripheral nerves. Acute inflammatory episodes in the borderline immunological spectrum of the disease cause severe nerve and tissue damage leading to deformities. Finding of any serological marker for leprosy reactions will help in prediction of reactions and in early treatment intervention. The objective of this study was to measure the serum circulatory levels of Interleukin 17F (IL 17F) and to correlate the levels with type 1 and type 2 reactional states and with clinico-histopathological spectrum of leprosy. We studied IL 17F to delineate its role and its clinical implications in leprosy reactions. METHODS: Patients were classified based on the Ridley DS and Jopling WH Classification and blood samples (5 ml each) were collected from 80 active untreated leprosy cases in Type 1 reaction (T1R), 21 cases in Type 2 (Erythema Nodosum Leprosum ENL) reaction (T2R), 80 cases without reaction (NR), and 94 non-leprosy cases (NL). Serum was separated and measured for IL 17F levels using ELISA (Commercial Kits, R&D Systems Inc., USA). RESULTS: IL 17F levels were significantly higher in the T1R group when compared to the NR group (p < 0.001). The borderline lepromatous group showed the highest levels of IL 17F among the other groups in the disease spectrum. Bacteriological index (BI) showed negative correlation with the IL 17F levels. CONCLUSION: The results specify that serum circulatory levels of IL 17F are elevated during T1Rs in the borderline spectrum of the disease and thus may play a role in the regulation of inflammatory responses associated with reactions in leprosy.

Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 on lymphocytes of leprosy patients

Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which induces chronic granulomatous infection of the skin and peripheral nerves. The disease ranges from the tuberculoid to the lepromatous forms, depending on the cellular immune response of the host. Chemokines are thought to be involved in the immunopathogenesis of leprosy, but few studies have investigated the expression of chemokine receptors on leukocytes of leprosy patients. In the present study, we evaluated 21 leprosy patients (M/F: 16/5) with a new diagnosis from the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of the University Hospital, Federal University of Minas Gerais. The control group was composed of 20 healthy members (M/F: 15/5) of the community recruited by means of announcements. The expression of CCR2, CCR3, CCR5, and CXCR4 was investigated by flow cytometry on the surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes. There was a decrease in percentage of CD3+CXCR4+ and CD4+CXCR4+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of leprosy patients (median [range], 17.6 [2.7-41.9] and 65.3 [3.9-91.9], respectively) compared to the control group (median [range], 43.0 [3.7-61.3] and 77.2 [43.6-93.5], respectively). The percentage of CD4+CXCR4+ was significantly lower in patients with the tuberculoid form (median [range], 45.7 [0.0-83.1]) of the disease, but not in lepromatous patients (median [range], 81.5 [44.9-91.9]). The CXCR4 chemokine receptor may play a role in leprosy immunopathogenesis, probably directing cell migration to tissue lesions in tuberculoid leprosy patients.

Expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 on lymphocytes of leprosy patients.

Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which induces chronic granulomatous infection of the skin and peripheral nerves. The disease ranges from the tuberculoid to the lepromatous forms, depending on the cellular immune response of the host. Chemokines are thought to be involved in the immunopathogenesis of leprosy, but few studies have investigated the expression of chemokine receptors on leukocytes of leprosy patients. In the present study, we evaluated 21 leprosy patients (M/F: 16/5) with a new diagnosis from the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of the University Hospital, Federal University of Minas Gerais. The control group was composed of 20 healthy members (M/F: 15/5) of the community recruited by means of announcements. The expression of CCR2, CCR3, CCR5, and CXCR4 was investigated by flow cytometry on the surface of peripheral blood lymphocytes. There was a decrease in percentage of CD3+CXCR4+ and CD4+CXCR4+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of leprosy patients (median [range], 17.6 [2.7-41.9] and 65.3 [3.9-91.9], respectively) compared to the control group (median [range], 43.0 [3.7-61.3] and 77.2 [43.6-93.5], respectively). The percentage of CD4+CXCR4+ was significantly lower in patients with the tuberculoid form (median [range], 45.7 [0.0-83.1]) of the disease, but not in lepromatous patients (median [range], 81.5 [44.9-91.9]). The CXCR4 chemokine receptor may play a role in leprosy immunopathogenesis, probably directing cell migration to tissue lesions in tuberculoid leprosy patients.

Seropositivity to anti-phenolic glycolipid-I in leprosy cases, contacts and no known contacts of leprosy in an endemic and a non-endemic area in northeast Brazil.

The seroprevalence rates of IgM anti-phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) antibodies in four study groups with differing exposure to Mycobacterium leprae in Ceará, Brazil were investigated between March 2005 and August 2006. The first three groups in a high prevalence area included 144 cases of leprosy, their 380 contacts and 317 participants with no known leprosy contact. The fourth group in a low prevalence area consisted of 87 participants with no known leprosy contact living in an area in which no cases of leprosy had been reported in the previous 6 months. Seropositivity and levels of IgM antibodies to PGL-I were investigated using ELISA. The seropositivity levels of anti-PGL-I among the different clinical forms of leprosy cases were 61% for lepromatous, 25% for tuberculoid and 27% indeterminate. The levels of anti-PGL-I antibodies in the endemic area differentiated leprosy cases from non-cases. However, the seropositivity was similar among contact cases (15.8%) and no known leprosy contact cases from high (15.1%) and low (13.8%) prevalence areas. The seropositivity of both contacts and no known contacts was much higher than previously reported among no known contacts in other endemic areas. The study indicates that anti-PGL-I antibodies are not useful as immunological markers of household leprosy contacts and no known leprosy contacts in endemic areas.

[Thalidomide used by patients with erythema nodosum leprosum]. / Talidomida usada por pacientes com eritema nodoso hansênico.

INTRODUCTION: Thalidomide is a drug currently used in Brazil for treating erythema nodosum leprosum. METHODS: This was a prospective study to follow up clinical evolution, record adverse events and determine plasma thalidomide levels from a dose of 100 mg/day, among 20 patients with clinical manifestations of erythema nodosum leprosum, divided into two groups: during or after leprosy multidrug therapy. RESULTS: No significant differences between the groups were seen during the study, either in relation to favorable clinical evolution among the patients (70% and 90%), or in relation to the adverse events recorded, which were dizziness and somnolence. The plasma thalidomide levels on D7 and D14 were 0.82 + or - 0.4 microg/ml and 0.79 + or - 0.3 microg/ml in group 1 and 0.82 + or - 0.4 and 1.55 + or - 1.0 in group 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, the multidrug therapy had no effect on the clinical evolution, incidence of adverse events and plasma thalidomide levels.

Presence of intestinal helminths decreases T helper type 1 responses in tuberculoid leprosy patients and may increase the risk for multi-bacillary leprosy.

Resistance to intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium leprae is dependent upon an effective T helper type 1 (Th1)-type immune response. On the other hand, intestinal helminths are known to subvert the host's immune response towards to either a Th2-type immune response or a regulatory T cell up-regulation, which may affect the host's ability to mount an effective response to mycobacteria. Here, we report a significant association between intestinal helminth infections and lepromatous leprosy [odds ratio (OR), 10.88; confidence interval (CI) 95%: 4.02-29.4; P<0.001]. We also observed that the frequency of intestinal helminths correlated strongly with the mycobacterial index (r=0.982, P<0.01). Corroborating with our hypothesis, intracellular levels of interferon-gamma were decreased significantly in leprosy patients co-infected with intestinal helminths when compared to leprosy patients without worms. Conversely, lepromatous leprosy patients with intestinal worms produced higher levels of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. Our results suggest that a pre-existing infection by intestinal helminths may facilitate the establishment of M. leprae infection or its progression to more severe forms of leprosy.