Laszlo A, Cruaud P, Goren M B, Handzel V, Papa F, David H L
Laboratory Center for Disease Control, Department of Health and Welfare, Ottawa, Canada.
Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1992 Sep;60(3):376-81.
Two glycolipids--one synthetic and non-natural (BDA.TDA), the other natural and Mycobacterium tuberculosis species-specific (SL-IV)--were tested to determine their serological activity in sera obtained from leprosy patients, and to determine their discriminating ability in the detection of disease. The ELISA results obtained in the IgG antibody class show that both were useful substances capable of detecting multibacillary and paucibacillary disease in about 2 out of 3 leprosy patients. When these antigens were tested in parallel, the sensitivity of the ELISA test was increased by 10% without a decrease in specificity.
