02453nas a2200433   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653001800089653001000107653001900117653003800136653001300174653001100187653001100198653001200209653000900221653001600230653002500246653000900271653003000280100001300310700001300323700001300336700001300349700001600362700001600378700001400394700001600408245010200424856007300526300001000599490000800609050001500617520137300632022001402005       2003                            d  c2003 Oct10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aCarrier State10aChild10aDNA, Bacterial10aEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay10aEthiopia10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium leprae10aNose10apolymerase chain reaction1 aBeyene D1 aAseffa A1 aHarboe M1 aKidane D1 aMacdonald M1 aKlatser P R1 aBjune G A1 aSmith W C S00aNasal carriage of Mycobacterium leprae DNA in healthy individuals in Lega Robi village, Ethiopia.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870027/pdf/14596524.pdf  a841-80 v131  aBEYENE20033 a<p>The number of registered leprosy patients world-wide has decreased dramatically after extensive application of WHO recommended Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT). The annual number of new cases has, however, been almost unchanged in several populations, indicating that the infection is still present at community level. Nasal carriage of Mycobacterium leprae DNA was studied in Lega Robi village in Ethiopia. MDT had been applied for more than ten years, and 718 residents over 5 years old were eligible for the study. During the first survey nasal swab samples were collected from 664 (92.5%) individuals. The results of a Peptide Nucleic Acid-ELISA test for M. leprae DNA interpreted by stringent statistical criteria were available for 589 (88.7%) subjects. Thirty-five (5.9%) individuals without clinical signs of leprosy were positive for M. leprae DNA. Seven PCR positive individuals lived in a household where one or two other members were also positive for M. leprae DNA. During a second survey 8 (46%) of 175 interpretable PNA-ELISA tests were positive. Of 137 individuals tested twice, only two were positive on both occasions whereas 10 were PCR positive only once. The study confirms the widespread distribution of M. leprae DNA in healthy individuals. The feasibility of curbing possible transmission of subclinical infection needs further consideration.</p>  a0950-2688