Modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining for Mycobacterium leprae is a time-tested technique in the evaluation of leprosy. The helps to classify clinical types leprosy into those with low and high bacillary load. It also useful assessing response therapy, identifying defaulters, differentiating relapse from late reversal reactions. In this net educational video, we demonstrate taking an ear lobe smear p...

The 35 kDa antigen of Mycobacterium leprae is a membrane component that contains both B and T-cell stimulating epitopes. Monoclonal antibodies, primarily specific to M. leprae, have been developed against this antigen. Moreover, this antigen has been genetically engineered. Using recombinant 35 kDa antigen and/or a monoclonal antibody against an epitope on 35 kDa, a variety of antibody/antigen ...

In these studies, metabolically active Mycobacterium leprae were maintained for as long as 8 weeks in monolayer cultures of mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPhi). Supplemental IL-10, but not TGF-beta, bolstered, directly or indirectly, M. leprae metabolism in mouse MPhi. In the cell culture system temperature setting is extremely important and 31 to 33 degrees C incubation temperature was more pe...

One inflammatory event that may be involved in erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is the activation of complement, and thalidomide could suppress ENL by inhibiting its activation. To determine if thalidomide inhibits the activation of complement, we first incubated normal serum with Mycobacterium leprae or with zymosan in the presence of thalidomide. Residual functional complement was then determi...

With radioisotopes, it was shown that suspensions of Mycobacterium leprae oxidized glycerol, 6-phosphogluconate, glucose, glucose 6-phosphate, and, at a low rate, gluconate, to CO2. The incubation period in these experiments was usually 20 h, but after 140 h up to five times more glucose and gluconate had been converted to CO2. Studies with differentially labelled glucose indicated that glycoly...

To demonstrate local synthesis of anti-Mycobacterium leprae antibodies, biopsies from skin lesions of leprosy patients were cultured in vitro in a medium containing 14C-labeled lysine and isoleucine, and the culture fluids were analyzed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel and autoradiography. The results show that anti-M. leprae antibodies were synthesized in vitro in the bio...

Mycobacterium lepromatosis is a newly discovered cause of leprosy. Here, we present a near-complete genome of M. lepromatosis from strain FJ924 obtained from a patient who died of leprosy. The genome contained 3,215,823 nucleotides and matched ~87% with the Mycobacterium leprae genome. This genome is likely the smallest of all mycobacterial genomes known to date.

Abstract Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) is an infectious, neglected tropical disease caused by the Mycobacterium Leprae (M. Leprae). About 2,02,189 new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year. Lepra reactions off shoot of leprosy infection causing major nerve damage leading to disability. Early detection lepra through study biomarkers can prevent subsequent disabilities. Motivated these observation...