02275nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002600055653002400081653001000105653003000115653001100145653001600156653001100172653002100183653001400204653002300218653001200241653000900253653002500262653003000287100001200317700001200329700001600341245012500357856004100482300001000523490000700533050001700540520135400557022001401911       1999                            d  c1999 Sep10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigens, Bacterial10aChild10aDrug Therapy, Combination10aFemale10aGlycolipids10aHumans10aImmunoglobulin M10aIndonesia10aLeprostatic Agents10aleprosy10aMale10aMycobacterium leprae10aSeroepidemiologic Studies1 aBeers S1 aHatta M1 aKlatser P R00aSeroprevalence rates of antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-I among school children as an indicator of leprosy endemicity.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v67n3a03.pdf  a243-90 v67  aVANBEERS19993 a<p>In order to study whether the seroprevalence of antibodies to phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) among school children is a useful indicator of the leprosy problem in certain areas, school surveys were carried out. These surveys have the advantage of targeting an easily accessible, stable and standardized population. Antibodies to the species-specific PGL-I of Mycobacterium leprae were detected in a simple gelatin particle agglutination test. We have determined the seroprevalence rates in 2835 school children from five different areas in three provinces of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Three areas with a case-detection rate of over 3.4/10,000 were designated as high-endemic areas. The other two were designated as low-endemic areas, having a case-detection rate of less than 1/10,000. The seroprevalence rates in the three high-endemic areas ranged from 26% to 28% (95% CI 21%-31%). In both low-endemic areas the seroprevalence rate was 7% (95% CI 5%-10%). In a second survey conducted in one high-endemic area 3 years after the first survey, the seroprevalence rate was the same as in the first survey. These results indicate that seropositivity rates among school children may reflect the leprosy incidence. They illustrate the potential applicability of seroprevalence as an indicator of the magnitude of the leprosy problem in a selected area.</p>  a0148-916X