Comparison of the results of quantitative real-time PCR, and AFB stain of tissue and slit skin smear in Hansen's disease

Kim, Jong Pill

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Mycobacterium leprae, the etiological agent of leprosy, is noncultivable on axenic media, so, the viability of M. leprae for clinical or experimental applications is often unknown. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assays were recently introduced as the new tools for M. leprae viability determination.
OBJECTIVE
For evaluating of correlation of results of quantitative real-time PCR(16S rRNA/RLEP) & AFB stain of slit skin smear & histopathology & estimating the viability of M. leprae, the author studied the comparison of results of them
METHODS
Of 46 samples from 27 patients(MB 24 cases, PB 3 cases), M. leprae 16S rRNA was used as RNA targets, and M. leprae repetitive element (RLEP) DNA was used to determine relative bacterial numbers and the viability by the quantitative real-time PCR. The ratio of 16S rRNA and RLEP as the indicator of viability was calculated. Student t test and linear Pearson correlation were done by SPSS.
RESULTS
There was a correlation between between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and BI (r=0.369, p=0.012), and was statistically significant between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and histopathological positivity of AFB (p=0.011). However there was no correlation between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and MI.
CONCLUSIONS
Although the correlation between between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and BI and the statistically significant between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and histopathological positivity of AFB, there was no correlation between 16S rRNA/RLEP ratio and MI. It needs the further evaluation the correlation about that.