Abstract
BackgroundThe clinical spectrum of leprosy is dependent on the host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae or the newly discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis antigen. Helminth infections have been shown to affect the development of several diseases through immune regulation and thus may play a role in the clinical manifestations of leprosy and leprosy reactions. The purpose of this study is to determine the proportion of helminth infections in leprosy and its association with the type of leprosy and type 2 leprosy reaction (T2R).MethodsHistory or episode of T2R was obtained and direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation technique, and Kato-Katz smear were performed on 20 paucibacillary (PB) and 61 multibacillary (MB) leprosy participants.ResultsThere are more helminth-positive participants in MB leprosy compared to PB (11/61 versus 0/20, p = 0.034) and in T2R participants compared to non-T2R (8/31 versus 3/50, p = 0.018).ConclusionsOur results suggest that soil-transmitted helminth infections may have a role in the progression to a more severe type of leprosy, as well as the occurrence of T2R. These findings could serve as a fundamental base for clinicians to perform parasitological feces examination in patients who have MB leprosy and severe recurrent reactions to rule out the possibility of helminth infection. Further secondary confirmation of findings are needed to support these conclusions.
Highlights
The clinical spectrum of leprosy is dependent on the host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae or the newly discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis antigen
75.3 % participants were on multidrugs therapy (MDT) at inclusion and 31 participants (38.3 %) had a history of or episode of type 2 leprosy reaction (T2R)
Larger and more advanced research is currently being conducted to elucidate the role of other factors in regards to the presence of intestinal helminth infections in leprosy at the molecular level
Summary
The clinical spectrum of leprosy is dependent on the host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae or the newly discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis antigen. Helminth infections have been shown to affect the development of several diseases through immune regulation and may play a role in the clinical manifestations of leprosy and leprosy reactions. Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by an obligatory intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae or the newly discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis. These organisms are known to have a unique high affinity for Schwann cells (neurotropism), but it can affect most human organs with the exception of the central nervous system.
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