01842nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653003100055653001500086653001900101653001100120653001100131653001200142653000900154653003200163653000900195100001400204700001300218700001500231700001400246700001500260245011600275856005900391300001100450490000700461050003200468520101400500022001401514       1995                            d  c1995 Jun10aBacteriological Techniques10aBangladesh10aBiopsy, Needle10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aSensitivity and Specificity10aSkin1 aGroenen G1 aSaha N G1 aRashid M A1 aHamid M A1 aPattyn S R00aClassification of leprosy cases under field conditions in Bangladesh. I. Usefulness of skin-smear examinations.  uhttp://leprev.ilsl.br/pdfs/1995/v66n2/pdf/v66n2a04.pdf  a126-330 v66  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>In 2 non-governmental organization projects in Bangladesh 244 new leprosy patients were classified in the field according to clinical criteria. Skin smears were taken at 4 standardized sites and at the most active peripheral lesion, where a biopsy was also taken. Comparison of the clinical field classification with the results of the skin smears and biopsies gives a sensitivity of 92.1% for the clinical criteria, but a specificity of only 41.3%. The skin-smear results, on the other hand, have a sensitivity of 88.4% and a specificity of 98.1%. Thus, skin smears may contribute considerably to the operational classification of leprosy patients under field conditions. Quality control of the peripheral laboratory is essential. Appropriate site selection for the smear taking will also contribute to increased performance. Analysis of the skin-smear results suggests that the policy of taking smears at standardized sites should be abandoned in favour of the earlobes and active peripheral lesions.</p>  a0305-7518