High Anti–Phenolic Glycolipid-I IgM Titers and Hidden Leprosy Cases, Amazon Region

High rates of undiagnosed leprosy and subclinical infection amongst school children in the Amazon Region

“…In fact, when examining the same population months after an initial screening for anti-PGL-I, as we did in the county of Oriximiná, in the western region of PA (Salgado et al 2012), we found a high number of new leprosy cases amongst families with anti-PGL-I-positive individuals who were previously undiagnosed. Many factors may contribute to this high hidden prevalence.…”

“…Previously, we performed a study in the county of Oriximiná based on our serological data and found a high number of hidden cases (Salgado et al 2012). Similarly, we performed a more thorough study in the county of Castanhal, where SC and family members of anti-PGL-I-positive individuals (identified 2 years ago) were examined.…”

Identification of serological biomarkers of infection, disease progression and treatment efficacy for leprosy

“…However, the vast majority of PB leprosy cases do not develop detectable antibodies to PGL-I and in areas where leprosy is hyperendemic, as in the Brazilian Amazon in northeastern Brazil, greater than 50% of young schoolchildren surveyed in some provinces had positive anti-PGL-I responses (Barreto et al 2011, Salgado et al 2012. A number of recent reports have shown that IgG responses to protein antigens could be used as supplemental tools in the development of serological tests to diagnose leprosy, monitor treatment and detect relapse after treatment .…”

Fatores de risco em contatos intradomiciliares de pacientes com hanseníase utilizando variáveis clínicas, sociodemográficas e laboratoriais

“…A análise de níveis de soropositividade entre contatos e não contatos de portadores de hanseníase e escolares da população geral de um município do oeste do Pará, onde a endemicidade é alta e a escolaridade é baixa, encontrou percentuais de soropositividade elevados em todos os grupos. A positividade encontrada nos escolares levanta indícios de que existe uma elevada prevalência de infecção subclínica pelo M. leprae entre eles, e de que a origem do contato estaria em caso índice não identificado no domicílio dos escolares 26 .…”