02306nas a2200421   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653002200089653002400111653001000135653001300145653002000158653002800178653003800206653001100244653001600255653001900271653001100290653002100301653002200322653001300344653001200357653000900369653002500378100002100403700002400424700002600448245013100474856004900605300001000654490000800664050002200672520117600694022001401870       2008                            d  c2008 Jun10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aAged, 80 and over10aAntigens, Bacterial10aChild10aColombia10aContact Tracing10aCross-Sectional Studies10aEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay10aFemale10aGlycolipids10aHealth Surveys10aHumans10aImmunoglobulin G10aIntradermal Tests10aLepromin10aleprosy10aMale10aMycobacterium leprae1 aCardona-Castro N1 aBeltrán-Alzate J C1 aManrique-Hernández R00aSurvey to identify Mycobacterium leprae-infected household contacts of patients from prevalent regions of leprosy in Colombia.  uhttp://www.scielo.br/pdf/mioc/v103n4/200.pdf  a332-60 v103  aCARDONACASTRO20083 a<p>Leprosy in Colombia is in the post-elimination phase; nevertheless, there are regions of this country where the incidence is still around 3-4/100,000. Early detection of leprosy patients is a priority for achieving control and elimination of leprosy; however, the clinical exam is not very sensitive and thus, the majority of patients are diagnosed only when they demonstrate lesions, and damage to the nerves and skin has already occurred. The goal of the present study was to identify Mycobacterium leprae infection and immune responses in household contacts (HHC) of leprosy patients from three prevalent regions of Colombia. Clinical examination, the Mitsuda test, evaluation of IgM anti-PGL-I in the serum, the bacillar index (BI), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from nasal swabs (NS) were performed for 402 HHC of 104 leprosy patients during a cross-sectional survey. Positive titers for IgM anti-PGL1 were found for 54 HHC, and PCR-positive NS for 22. The Mitsuda reaction was negative for 38 HHC, although three were positive for IgM anti-PGL-1 titers. The data document that leprosy transmission among HHC is still occurring in a non-endemic country.</p>  a1678-8060