Fecal Excretion of Mycobacterium leprae, Burkina Faso

Abstract

Her primary research interest is the molecular biology of infectious diseases.

Correction: Vol. 26, No. 6

“…These observations indicate that clinical manifestation of leprosy varies widely. The exact mechanism of fecal excretion of M. leprae can be more complex, as presumed in previous studies (1,4,5), and may be associated with high bacillary burden (as in lepromatous leprosy), gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain or diarrhea), disseminated disease, environmental factors, or combinations of these aspects. Verification of transmission routes of M. leprae to fecal samples using genotyping techniques (i.e., whole-genome sequencing) is crucial to establish the diagnostic utility of fecal specimens in leprosy.…”

“…This finding means that patients, contacts, or healthy persons can ingest M. leprae from environmental sources through drinking contaminated water or eating M. leprae-containing food and may excrete leprosy bacilli in their feces without establishing an infection. The role of environmental sources and simple passthrough phenomena in fecal excretion of M. leprae has not been investigated by Millogo et al (1) and other studies (4,5).…”