02768nas a2200397   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002600055653002400081653003100105653001100136653001100147653001600158653001100174653002100185653001200206653000900218653003600227653002500263653000900288653002600297100001100323700001200334700002500346700002000371700001200391700002200403700001500425245013400440856005100574300001100625490000700636050003200643520168100675022001402356       2008                            d  c2008 Jun10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigens, Bacterial10aBacteriological Techniques10aBrazil10aFemale10aGlycolipids10aHumans10aImmunoglobulin M10aleprosy10aMale10aMolecular Diagnostic Techniques10aMycobacterium leprae10aSkin10aStaining and Labeling1 aLyon S1 aLyon AC1 aCastorina da Silva R1 aFaria Grossi MA1 aLyon SH1 aBührer-Sékula S1 aRocha MO C00aA comparison of ML Flow serology and slit skin smears to assess the bacterial load in newly diagnosed leprosy patients in Brazil.  uhttps://leprosyreview.org/article/79/2/16-2170  a162-700 v79  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p><b>INTRODUCTION: </b>The ML Flow test is an immunochromatographic assay that detects IgM antibodies against M. leprae-specific anti-phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I). In addition to slit skin smears stained by the Ziehl-Neelsen technique, it can be helpful in the operational classification of leprosy patients for treatment purposes.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>This work studied the relationship between antibody levels as detected by semi-quantitative ML Flow serologic test and bacterial load as quantified by slit skin smear.</p><p><b>PATIENTS AND METHODS: </b>135 patients with newly detected leprosy at the reference service in Sanitary Dermatology in Brazil had slit skin smears (registered as bacillary index - BI) and an ML Flow test (registered qualitatively and semi-quantitatively) performed at admission. A logistic regression and agreement measures (kappa index) were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Slit skin smears were positive in 35.9% of patients and 57% of patients were seropositive for PGL-1 antibodies. Among the seropositive patients, 416% had five or fewer skin lesions, and 65.8% had more than one peripheral nerve involved. Slit skin smears were positive in only three seronegative patients (5.6%), and negative in 41.9% of seropositive patients. Patients with a BI of 4 + had an OR of 33 for being seropositive in comparison to those with a low BI.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>There is a correlation between serologic test and slit skin smear results. Therefore, an ML Flow test may become a useful tool in the clinical classification of leprosy, besides slit skin smears, which require a proper laboratory infrastructure and experienced personnel.</p>  a0305-7518