01520nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001653001200042653002500054653003400079653002400113100001400137700001300151700001700164700001500181700001800196245012700214856003200341520092700373022001401300       2017                            d10aleprosy10aMycobacterium leprae10aPhenolic glycolipid-1 antigen10aSalivary antibodies1 aMacedo AC1 aCunha JE1 aYaochite JNU1 aTavares CM1 aNagao-Dias AT00aSalivary anti-PGL-1 IgM may indicate active transmission of Mycobacterium leprae among young people under 16 years of age.  uhttp://tinyurl.com/y9uohacp3 a<p>Considering that the main route of Mycobacterium leprae transmission is the upper respiratory tract, detection of salivary antibodies can be a useful tool for diagnosing early infection. The study aimed to analyze salivary anti-PGL-1 IgA and IgM antibodies in 169 children aged 4-16 years old, who lived nearby or inside the house of multibacillary or paucibacillary leprosy patients in two endemic cities in Alagoas State - Brazil. Salivary anti-PGL-1 antibodies were quantified by modified ELISA method. The frequency of contact and clinical form of the index case were significantly associated with salivary antibodies levels. High frequency of IgM positivity strongly suggests active transmission of M. leprae in these communities. We suggest in the present work that salivary anti-PGL IgA and IgM are important biomarkers to be used for identifying communities with probable active transmission of M. leprae.</p>
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