Detection of Mycobacterium leprae DNA in blood samples from leprosy patients: a preliminary study
Abstract
In the present report an attempt has been made with a limited number of blood samples from leprosy patients and healthy volunteers to detect M. leprae specific DNA by PCR based assay and 35kDa antigen by MLO4 based sandwich-ELISA. Of the two assays, PCR based assay was found to be superior. Though preliminary in nature, the present information gives us a lead to explore and improve the M. leprae DNA detecting technology with a large number of samples for its establishment.