The challenge of producing skin test antigens with minimal resources suitable for human application against a neglected tropical disease; leprosy.

ABSTRACT: True incidence of leprosy and its impact on transmission will not be understood until a tool is available to measure pre-symptomatic infection. Diagnosis of leprosy disease is currently based on clinical symptoms, which on average take 3-10 years to manifest. The fact that incidence, as defined by new case detection, equates with prevalence, i.e., registered cases, suggests that the cycle of transmission has not been fully intercepted by implementation of multiple drug therapy. This is supported by a high incidence of childhood leprosy. Epidemiological screening for pre-symptomatic leprosy in large endemic populations is required to facilitate targeted chemoprophylactic interventions. Such a test must be sensitive, specific, simple to administer, cost-effective, and easy to interpret. The

SUBMITTER: Rivoire BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4038479 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature