Follow-up of the household contacts (HHC) of leprosy patients is still the best strategy for early detection of leprosy. HHC from a post-elimination region of Colombia studied in 2001-2002 were re-contacted in 2007. They were tested at both times by clinical examination, bacillary index (BI), PCR from a slit skin smear (SSS) and anti PGL-1 IgM titres. Thirty-two of 61 HHC (52%) were re-contacted. Nine HHC (28%) showed sero-conversion and one had a skin lesion (BI negative, nested PCR positive). Periodic evaluation of HHC can contribute to the detection of infected HHC as well as new and early leprosy cases.
BT - Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19876571?dopt=Abstract DA - 2009 Sep DO - 10.1590/s0074-02762009000600021 IS - 6 J2 - Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz LA - eng N2 -Follow-up of the household contacts (HHC) of leprosy patients is still the best strategy for early detection of leprosy. HHC from a post-elimination region of Colombia studied in 2001-2002 were re-contacted in 2007. They were tested at both times by clinical examination, bacillary index (BI), PCR from a slit skin smear (SSS) and anti PGL-1 IgM titres. Thirty-two of 61 HHC (52%) were re-contacted. Nine HHC (28%) showed sero-conversion and one had a skin lesion (BI negative, nested PCR positive). Periodic evaluation of HHC can contribute to the detection of infected HHC as well as new and early leprosy cases.
PY - 2009 SP - 935 EP - 6 T2 - Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz TI - Clinical, bacteriological and immunological follow-up of household contacts of leprosy patients from a post-elimination area - Antioquia, Colombia. UR - http://www.scielo.br/pdf/mioc/v104n6/21.pdf VL - 104 SN - 1678-8060 ER -