Pesquisa de Mycobacterium leprae no periodonto, saliva e em raspados intradérmicos de pacientes com hanseníase.

Abstract

Objective: to verify through bacteriological examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of M. leprae in periodontium, saliva and skin slit smears of the leprosy patients. Methodology: A case detection transversal study took place in a leprosy reference center in the Amazon State. Results: The study included 48 leprosy patients being 15 multibacilary (MB) cases and 33 paucibacilary (PB) cases. The diagnosis of MB patients was confirmed through bacteriological examination and PCR of the skin slit smears, while, 16 (33%) of PB patients were positive in PCR and none in bacteriology examination of the skin smears. Four PB patients with negative PCR skin smears were PCR positive in the periodontium and saliva, 1 positive in saliva and 2 in the periodontium. No sample of periodontium and saliva had positive bacteriological results. A prevalence of 58,3% of periodontal disease (DP) was observed. Conclusion: there was no correlation between DP and the presence of M. leprae; bacteriological examination did not proved to be an efficient technique for analysis of saliva and periodontium; the skin smears PCR technique proved to be most efficient method for to diagnosis PB patients than bacteriological examination; PCR positivity for detection of M. leprae in PB patients can be increase by collecting slit skin smears, periodontium and saliva.