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Lima FR, Simões MMR, da Costa Manso GM, Toro DM, Antunes VMG, Felisbino GC, Dias GF, Riley LW, Arruda S, de Paula NA, Lugão HB, Perecin FAMC, Foss NT, Frade MAC. Serological testing for Hansen’s disease diagnosis: Clinical significance and performance of IgA, IgM, and IgG antibodies against Mce1A protein. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1048759. [PMID: 37007773 PMCID: PMC10062478 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1048759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hansen’s disease (HD) is an infectious, treatable, and chronic disease. It is the main cause of infectious peripheral neuropathy. Due to the current limitations of laboratory tests for the diagnosis of HD, early identification of infected contacts is an important factor that would allow us to control the magnitude of this disease in terms of world public health. Thus, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Brazilian southeast with the objective of evaluating humoral immunity and describing the accuracy of the immunoassay based on IgA, IgM, and IgG antibodies against surface protein Mce1A of Mycobacterium, the predictive potential of these molecules, the clinical significance of positivity, and the ability to segregate new HD cases (NC; n = 200), contacts (HHC; n = 105), and healthy endemic controls (HEC; n = 100) as compared to α-PGL-I serology. α-Mce1A levels for all tested antibodies were significantly higher in NC and HHC than in HEC (p < 0.0001). The performance of the assay using IgA and IgM antibodies was rated as highly accurate (AUC > 0.85) for screening HD patients. Among HD patients (NC), positivity was 77.5% for IgA α-Mce1A ELISA, 76.5% for IgM, and 61.5% for IgG, while α-PGL-I serology showed only 28.0% positivity. Multivariate PLS-DA showed two defined clusters for the HEC and NC groups [accuracy = 0.95 (SD = 0.008)] and the HEC and HHC groups [accuracy = 0.93 (SD = 0.011)]. IgA was the antibody most responsible for clustering HHC as compared to NC and HEC, evidencing its usefulness for host mucosal immunity and as an immunological marker in laboratory tests. IgM is the key antibody for the clustering of NC patients. Positive results with high antibody levels indicate priority for screening, new clinical and laboratory evaluations, and monitoring of contacts, mainly with antibody indexes ≥2.0. In light of recent developments, the incorporation of new diagnostic technologies permits to eliminate the main gaps in the laboratory diagnosis of HD, with the implementation of tools of greater sensitivity and accuracy while maintaining satisfactory specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Rocha Lima
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mateus Mendonça Ramos Simões
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Martins da Costa Manso
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana Mota Toro
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological and, Bromatological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanderson Mayron Granemann Antunes
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovani Cesar Felisbino
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Ferreira Dias
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lee W. Riley
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Sérgio Arruda
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Natália Aparecida de Paula
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Helena Barbosa Lugão
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda André Martins Cruz Perecin
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Norma Tiraboschi Foss
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Hansen’s Disease, University Hospital, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade,
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dos Santos DF, Garcia LP, Borges IS, Oliveira TJ, Antunes DE, Luppi ADM, Goulart IMB. Early diagnosis of neural impairment in seropositive leprosy household contacts: The experience of a reference center in Brazil. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1143402. [PMID: 36993802 PMCID: PMC10040679 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1143402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionLeprosy is an infectious disease that remains with a high number of new cases in developing countries. Household contacts have a higher risk for the development of the disease, but the neural impairment in this group is not well elucidated yet. Here, we measured the chance of occurrence of peripheral neural impairment in asymptomatic leprosy household.MethodsContacts who present anti-PGL-I IgM seropositivity, through electroneuromyography (ENMG) evaluation. We recruited 361 seropositive contacts (SPC) from 2017 to 2021, who were subjected to an extensive protocol that included clinical, molecular, and electroneuromyographic evaluations.ResultsOur data revealed a positivity of slit skin smear and skin biopsy qPCR of 35.5% (128/361) and 25.8% (93/361) respectively. The electroneuromyographic evaluation of the SPC showed neural impairment in 23.5% (85/361), with the predominance of a mononeuropathy pattern in 62.3% (53/85). Clinical neural thickening was observed in 17.5% (63/361) of seropositive contacts, but among the individuals with abnormal ENMG, only 25.9% (22/85) presented neural thickening in the clinical exam.DiscussionOurs results corroborates the need to make the approach to asymptomatic contacts in endemic countries more timely. Since leprosy in its early stages can present an indolent and subclinical evolution, serological, molecular, and neurophysiological tools are essential to break the disease transmission chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Fernandes dos Santos
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Diogo Fernandes dos Santos,
| | - Leonardo Peixoto Garcia
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Isabella Sabião Borges
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Thales Junqueira Oliveira
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Douglas Eulálio Antunes
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Andrea De Martino Luppi
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Isabela Maria Bernardes Goulart
- National Reference Center for Sanitary Dermatology and Leprosy, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia, Brazil
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Albuquerque AA, dos Santos Mateus C, de Oliveira Rodrigues R, Lima ÉS, Lima LO, da Silva RL, Fernandes MAM, de Macedo AC, Tavares CM, Nogueira PSF, Nagao-Dias AT. Can anti-PGL-I antibody isotypes differentiate leprosy contacts and leprosy patients? Pathog Glob Health 2022; 116:477-484. [PMID: 34974816 PMCID: PMC9639540 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.2021045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Serological tests for antibody measurement in leprosy have a series of limitations in discriminating contacts and patients. The present paper intends to evaluate if association of more than one antibody isotype in serum samples may be a useful tool in leprosy diagnosis. METHODS This study evaluated 395 leprosy contacts and 71 leprosy index cases living in endemic municipalities in Northeastern Brazil. The participants were evaluated according to their anti-phenolic glycolipid antigen-I isotype (PGL-I) profile. Serum anti-PGL-I IgM, IgG, and IgA were measured by indirect ELISA. RESULTS A strong association was found for antibody positivity in MB leprosy index cases. The odds ratios were 6.11 (95% CI 3.08 - 12.16) for IgM, 3.31 (1.66 - 6.61) for IgG, and 16.97 (8.39 - 34.2) for IgA. For IgM associated with one or more isotypes, the OR was 21.0 (95% CI 10.11 - 43.64), and for IgG + IgA, the OR was 17.58 (6.23 - 49.54). The highest diagnostic sensitivity of 76.0% (95% CI 61.8 - 86.9) was observed for IgM, and the lowest value was 24.1% (13.0 - 38.2), which was observed for IgG + IgA isotypes. Regarding presumptive positive predictive values, the lowest value was obtained for IgM at 24.7% (95% CI 18.1 - 32.3), and the highest values were observed for IgM+ one or more isotypes and for IgG + IgA isotype at 60.0% (44.3 - 74.3) and 66.7% (41.0 - 86.7), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The present work demonstrated that by associating two or more positive antibody isotypes, the risk of facing a real case of leprosy may increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Almeida Albuquerque
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Camilla dos Santos Mateus
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Raphael de Oliveira Rodrigues
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil,CONTACT Raphael de Oliveira Rodrigues Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Rua Capitão Francisco Pedro, 1210, Fortaleza, Ceará60430-372, Brazil
| | - Évely Sampaio Lima
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Lucas Oliveira Lima
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Rayane Lima da Silva
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre Casimiro de Macedo
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Clódis Maria Tavares
- Faculty of Nursing and Pharmacy (ESENFAR), Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Paula Sacha Frota Nogueira
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - Aparecida Tiemi Nagao-Dias
- Department of Clinical and Toxicology Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nursing and Odontology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
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Sugawara-Mikami M, Tanigawa K, Kawashima A, Kiriya M, Nakamura Y, Fujiwara Y, Suzuki K. Pathogenicity and virulence of Mycobacterium leprae. Virulence 2022; 13:1985-2011. [PMID: 36326715 PMCID: PMC9635560 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2022.2141987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Leprosy is caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and M. lepromatosis, an obligate intracellular organism, and over 200,000 new cases occur every year. M. leprae parasitizes histiocytes (skin macrophages) and Schwann cells in the peripheral nerves. Although leprosy can be treated by multidrug therapy, some patients relapse or have a prolonged clinical course and/or experience leprosy reaction. These varying outcomes depend on host factors such as immune responses against bacterial components that determine a range of symptoms. To understand these host responses, knowledge of the mechanisms by which M. leprae parasitizes host cells is important. This article describes the characteristics of leprosy through bacteriology, genetics, epidemiology, immunology, animal models, routes of infection, and clinical findings. It also discusses recent diagnostic methods, treatment, and measures according to the World Health Organization (WHO), including prevention. Recently, the antibacterial activities of anti-hyperlipidaemia agents against other pathogens, such as M. tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus have been investigated. Our laboratory has been focused on the metabolism of lipids which constitute the cell wall of M. leprae. Our findings may be useful for the development of future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Sugawara-Mikami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan.,West Yokohama Sugawara Dermatology Clinic, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kazunari Tanigawa
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Kawashima
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Kiriya
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Nakamura
- Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Fujiwara
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Suzuki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Technology, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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Lima FR, Filho FB, Antunes VMG, Santana JM, de Almeida RCP, Toro DM, Bragagnollo VF, Manso GMDC, de Paula NA, Alves ES, Riley LW, Arruda S, Frade MAC. Serological Immunoassay for Hansen’s Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring Treatment: Anti-Mce1A Antibody Response Among Hansen’s Disease Patients and Their Household Contacts in Northeastern Brazil. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:855787. [PMID: 35755036 PMCID: PMC9218539 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.855787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Hansen’s disease (HD) is an ancient disease, but more than 200,000 new cases were reported worldwide in 2019. Currently, there are not many satisfactory immunoassay methods for its diagnosis. We evaluated antibodies against Mce1A as a promising new serological biomarker. We collected plasma from new cases, contacts, and endemic controls in the city of Parnaíba and treated patients at Carpina, a former HD colony in Piauí state, northeastern Brazil. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the assay thresholds, specificity and sensitivity of the IgA, IgM, and IgG antibodies against α-Mce1A by indirect ELISA and compared it with IgM anti-PGL-I and molecular diagnosis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Venn diagrams were generated to represent the overlap in the antibody positivity pattern. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the potential predictor of antibodies for the outcome of having an HD diagnosis. IgA and IgG were positive in 92.3 and 84% of patients, respectively. IgM was negative for all treated patients. IgG had a sensitivity and specificity of 94.7 and 100%, respectively. IgM-positive individuals had a 3.6 chance of being diagnosed with HD [OR = 3.6 (95% CI = 1.1–11.6); p = 0.028], while IgA-positive individuals had a 2.3 chance [OR = 2.3 (95% CI = 1.2–4.3); p = 0.005] compared to endemic controls. We found that the Mce1A antibody profile can be an excellent diagnostic method of HD. IgA is an ideal biomarker for confirming contact with the bacillus. IgM has potential in the detection of active disease. IgG antibodies confirm the performance of these serological markers in diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Rocha Lima
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fred Bernardes Filho
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanderson Mayron Granemann Antunes
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaci Maria Santana
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina Coeli Palma de Almeida
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana Mota Toro
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological, and Bromatological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Fozatti Bragagnollo
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Martins da Costa Manso
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natália Aparecida de Paula
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eliracema Silva Alves
- Directorate of Unit and Health Care Surveillance, HD Control Program, State Department of Health, Piauí, Brazil
- Federal University of Piauí, Piauí, Brazil
| | - Lee W. Riley
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Sérgio Arruda
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Salvador, Brazil
| | - Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade
- Healing and Hansen’s Disease Laboratory, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Dermatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, National Referral Center for Sanitary Dermatology and HD, Clinical Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade,
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