Detection of anti-phenolic glycolipid I antibodies by ELISA and gelatin particle agglutination test in leprosy in São Paulo (SP), Brazil

Abstract

A total of 214 serum samples obtained from leprosy patients (96 with the lepromatous form, 36 with the tuberculoid form, 33 with the indeterminate form, and 19 with the borderline form) before and during chemotherapy, from household contacts ( n = 18) and from controls ( n = 12) were submitted to the M. leprae particle agglutination test (MLPA) and to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-phenolic glycolipid (PGL I) antibodies. ELISA was more sensitive for all clinical forms of leprosy, with greater seropositivity for the lepromatous form (54.64%). For 88 patients with the lepromatous form, we noted that the shorter the time of treatment (≤ 3 years), the higher the percentage of seropositive results ( P ≤ 0.01). The present results suggest that both tests could be used to monitor leprosy treatment and in epidemiologic surveys.