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About the Authors:
Renate A. Richardus
Roles Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing
Affiliations Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands, Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4436-5066
Konrad van der Zwet
Roles Data curation, Methodology, Visualization
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Anouk van Hooij
Roles Data curation, Validation
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Louis Wilson
Roles Data curation, Validation
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Linda Oskam
Roles Conceptualization, Data curation
Current address: DATOS B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Affiliation: KIT Biomedical Research, Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Roel Faber
Roles Data curation, Validation
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Susan J. F. van den Eeden
Roles Data curation, Validation
Affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
David Pahan
Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Investigation
Current address: Lepra Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Affiliation: Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
Khorshed Alam
Roles Investigation, Project administration
Affiliation: Rural Health Program, The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, Nilphamari, Bangladesh
Jan Hendrik Richardus
Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing - review & editing
Affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Annemieke Geluk
Roles Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The NetherlandsAbstract
Background
Despite elimination efforts, the number of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) infected individuals who develop leprosy, is still substantial. Solid evidence exists that individuals living in close proximity to patients are at increased risk to develop leprosy. Early diagnosis of leprosy in endemic areas requires field-friendly tests that identify individuals at risk of developing the disease before clinical manifestation. Such assays will simultaneously contribute to reduction of current diagnostic delay as well as transmission. Antibody (Ab) levels directed against the M.leprae-specific phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) represents a surrogate marker for bacterial load. However, it is...