01736nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653002600067653002400093653002800117653003800145653001100183653001600194653001200210653002400222653002500246653000900271653002500280653002000305100001500325700001100340700001500351700001200366700001600378700001700394700001500411245006800426856004100494300001000535490000700545520079600552022001401348       1991                            d  c1991 Sep10aAnimals10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigens, Bacterial10aCross-Sectional Studies10aEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay10aFemale10aGlycolipids10aleprosy10aLipopolysaccharides10aLongitudinal studies10aMale10aMycobacterium leprae10aPan troglodytes1 aGormus B J1 aXu K Y1 aAlford P L1 aLee D R1 aHubbard G B1 aEichberg J W1 aMeyers W M00aA serologic study of naturally acquired leprosy in chimpanzees.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v59n3a09.pdf  a450-70 v593 a<p>Data from longitudinally obtained serum samples spanning several years has permitted us to identify two chimpanzees with leprosy and to estimate the time of Mycobacterium leprae exposure/infection. The results confirm high levels of specific anti-M. leprae phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) as well as anti-lipo-arabinomannan (anti-LAM) antibodies in both chimpanzees, and identify additional chimpanzees with possible M. leprae exposure. The observations are consistent with the hypothesis that leprosy exists in chimpanzees in the U.S.A. and suggest the possibility that M. leprae may be transmitted among chimpanzees. The data suggest that monitoring anti-PGL-I and anti-LAM IgG and IgM levels longitudinally in leprosy contacts may be useful in the recognition of preclinical leprosy.</p>  a0148-916X