@article{97642,
  author = {Barbosa A and da Silva S and Toledo A and de Abreu M},
  title = {Seroepidemiologic survey of the household contacts of leprosy patients.},
  abstract = {<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>Leprosy is a disabling infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of leprosy among household contacts of leprosy patients.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>This study is a serological survey in household contacts of leprosy patients who had been treated or were undergoing treatment in the city of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil, from 2006-2016, using clinical examination and screening for anti- Phenolic glycolipid-I antibodies with Mycobacterium leprae-flow serology.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>A total of 263 index cases of leprosy were identified during the study period. Of these, 53 were approached, and among their household contacts, 108 were examined. The ML-flow test was positive in 2 (1.85%) individuals, but clinical examination revealed no signs or symptoms of leprosy in them. Therefore, they were considered to have a subclinical infection. Leprosy was not confirmed in any household contacts. In this study, a lower percentage of household contacts, when compared to that in the literature, had a positive Mycobacterium leprae-flow test result.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSION: </strong>The use of Mycobacterium leprae-flow should be encouraged during the follow-up of at-risk populations, such as the household contacts of leprosy patients.</p>
},
  year = {2022},
  journal = {Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992)},
  volume = {68},
  pages = {1389-1393},
  month = {01/2022},
  issn = {1806-9282},
  url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9683918/pdf/1806-9282-ramb-68-10-1389.pdf},
  doi = {10.1590/1806-9282.20220248},
  language = {eng},
}