USE OF THE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LEPROSY

One of the main limitations for successful epidemiological control of leprosy is the lack of a method for its diagnosis in subclinical cases , Because of the long incubation period of the disease, liberation and spread of Mycobacterium leprae during subclinical stages - principall y in cases of untreated multibacillary forms of leprosy - constitute t he main source of infection. This report describes the use of the poly merase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of M. leprae in differen t types of tissue samples (blood, lymph, nasal secretion and hair) fro m an individual who was suspected of having leprosy. Although no concl usive diagnosis could be made by traditional diagnostic methods, the i ndividual was found to be infected with M. leprae after amplification of the bacterial DNA.