Intraocular pressure decrease in household contacts of patients with Hansen's disease and endemic control subjects.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Hansen's disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, can affect various organs, including the eyes.
• Previous studies have noted intraocular pressure changes in patients with Hansen's disease.
• Understanding ocular involvement in contacts is crucial for early detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) between household contacts of Hansen's disease patients and endemic controls.
• To investigate potential early ocular susceptibility to Mycobacterium leprae infection.
• To assess public health implications for early disease indication.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 150 urban household contacts of Hansen's disease patients and 132 matched endemic control subjects in Karachi, Pakistan.
• Intraocular pressure measurements were taken in both upright and supine positions.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare IOP between groups, including postural changes.

Main Results:

• Household contacts exhibited significantly lower mean intraocular pressure (approx. 12.6-12.9 mm Hg) compared to endemic controls (approx. 15.3-15.4 mm Hg) (P < .0005).
• A greater postural change in IOP (upright to supine) was observed in the household contacts group (approx. 1.7-2.1 mm Hg) versus controls (approx. 1.3-1.5 mm Hg) (P < .0006).

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest a potential early ocular susceptibility in individuals exposed to Hansen's disease.
• Lower IOP and altered postural IOP changes in contacts may indicate early signs of Mycobacterium leprae infection.
• These observations highlight important public health considerations for early disease detection and intervention.