Clinical Trial: Molecular and Immunological Tools for Detection of Strain Diversity, Drug Resistance and Immunological Responses

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Molecular Epidemiology of Leprosy in Colombia

Brief Summary:

The purpose of this study is to determine what factors contribute to the continued incidence of leprosy in Colombia. Study participants will include volunteering and consenting individuals, older than 4 years of age, representing three study groups:

  1. healthy persons with no known contact with leprosy patients
  2. patients reporting at Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical-CES and Impresa Social del Estado Sanatorio Agua de Dios with a new diagnosis of leprosy or relapse of leprosy
  3. household contacts of leprosy patients described in group 2. Blood, nasal swabs, slit skin smears, and biopsies will be taken from the volunteers to learn the strains of leprosy-causing bacteria in the area, the immune responses (body's response to disease) in local residents against the bacteria, and the pattern of leprosy transmission. Individuals will participate in this study for 1-10 days, and the study will last for 3 years.

Detailed Summary: The overall objectives of this study are to understand the factors leading to continued incidence of leprosy in Colombia by novel molecular methodologies using a combination of retrospective and prospective sampling approaches using three study groups. Specific objectives are: (1) strain typing of M. leprae isolates obtained from newly diagnosed leprosy patients and household contacts (HHCs) in Colombia to identify clusters and transmission patterns when combined with conventional epidemiological criteria; (2) to determine the viability of M. leprae by mRNA detection in specimens collected from new leprosy patients and HHCs; (3) to identify and determine the extent of mutations conferring resistance in past and circulating M. leprae isolates from leprosy patients to two Multidrug therapy (MDT) drugs; dapsone and rifampicin; (4) to detect chains of transmission in endemic populations by a retrospective analyses of isolates in sample banks when combined with strain typing information from new cases and conventional epidemiological criteria; and (5) to detect, compare, and delineate immune response profiles to M. leprae antigens as biomarkers for early detection of leprosy and prediction of clinical outcome (susceptible, infected, and resistant individuals) among three study groups. Study participants for prospective sample collections will include volunteering and consenting individuals older than 4 years of age, representing three study groups: (1) healthy persons with no known contacts with leprosy patients, (2) patients reporting at Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical-CES (ICMT-CES) and Impresa Social del Estado Sanatorio Agua de Dios for the diagnosis of leprosy and/or relapse of leprosy, and (3) household contacts (HHC) of leprosy patients reporting at Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical-CES (ICMT-CES) and Impresa Social del Estado Sanatorio Agua de Dios. Blood, nasal swabs, slit skin smears and biopsies will be obtained prospectively from individuals
Sponsor: Colorado State University

Current Primary Outcome: Strain typing: identification of genotypes [ Time Frame: Dec, 2010 ]

Original Primary Outcome:

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: Colorado State University

Dates:
Date Received: August 26, 2005
Date Started: April 2006
Date Completion:
Last Updated: November 5, 2014
Last Verified: November 2014