TY - JOUR
T1 - Advances in leprosy immunology and the field application
T2 - a gap to bridge
AU - De Souza, Vania Nieto Brito
AU - Iyer, Anand M.
AU - Lammas, David A.
AU - Naafs, Ben
AU - Das, Pranab Kumar
PY - 2016/1
Y1 - 2016/1
N2 - Advances concerning the hosts’ immune response to Mycobacterium leprae infection have focused on elucidating the immune pathomechanisms involved, with the hope that predictive diagnostic and prognostic parameters (biomarkers) for field use would emerge; however, improvements in our understanding of the immunologic responses to this complex disease have, to date, somewhat failed to provide the effective and robust methods for improving its predictive diagnosis in the field situation, particularly in those patients suffering from paucibacillary disease. In this contribution we have attempted to review some of the advances both in the immunology and immunopathology of leprosy, and also highlight the limited clusters of immune parameters that are now available. Most importantly, we point out the limitations that still prevail in the provision of effective biomarkers in the field situation for either: (1) the diagnosis of indeterminate disease, (2) predictive diagnosis of individuals developing reactional states, (3) monitoring efficacy of treatment, or (4) monitoring treatment of reactional states.
AB - Advances concerning the hosts’ immune response to Mycobacterium leprae infection have focused on elucidating the immune pathomechanisms involved, with the hope that predictive diagnostic and prognostic parameters (biomarkers) for field use would emerge; however, improvements in our understanding of the immunologic responses to this complex disease have, to date, somewhat failed to provide the effective and robust methods for improving its predictive diagnosis in the field situation, particularly in those patients suffering from paucibacillary disease. In this contribution we have attempted to review some of the advances both in the immunology and immunopathology of leprosy, and also highlight the limited clusters of immune parameters that are now available. Most importantly, we point out the limitations that still prevail in the provision of effective biomarkers in the field situation for either: (1) the diagnosis of indeterminate disease, (2) predictive diagnosis of individuals developing reactional states, (3) monitoring efficacy of treatment, or (4) monitoring treatment of reactional states.
U2 - 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2015.10.013
DO - 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2015.10.013
M3 - Article
SN - 0738-081X
VL - 34
SP - 82
EP - 95
JO - Clinics in Dermatology
JF - Clinics in Dermatology
IS - 1
ER -