Related Experiment Videos
Acid fast bacilli in lymph node aspirate and smears from ear lobules and fingers in long treated patients
Abstract:
Skin slit smears from fingers and ear lobules and lymph node aspiration smears stained with Ziehl-Neelsen stain were studied in 43 patients of LL or BL disease. All the patients had taken dapsone monotherapy for 3-7 years. None of the patients had clinical evidence of dapsone resistance. Small number of bacilli were detected in 16 patients. Lymph node aspirate was positive in 5 cases, whereas ear lobule and fingers yielded bacilli in 12 and 13 cases respectively. It is recommended that in addition to the traditional ear lobe it is imperative to study other sites as well. Study from fingers is recommended for the sake of simplicity. Where facilities are available sampling of the lymph node may also be attempted to advantage.
Insights
This study on leprosy (LL or BL disease) found bacilli in dapsone-treated patients. Examining fingers and lymph nodes, in addition to earlobes, aids in detecting leprosy bacilli.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Dermatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Dapsone monotherapy is a common treatment for leprosy.
- Monitoring treatment efficacy and detecting residual bacilli are crucial.
- Traditional diagnostic methods for leprosy may have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic yield of different sampling sites for detecting Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in patients on dapsone monotherapy.
- To assess the presence of bacilli in skin slit smears from fingers and earlobes, and lymph node aspirates.
Main Methods:
- Ziehl-Neelsen staining was used on smears from fingers, earlobes, and lymph nodes of 43 patients with LL or BL disease.
- Patients had undergone dapsone monotherapy for 3-7 years without clinical signs of resistance.
Main Results:
- Small numbers of bacilli were detected in 16 out of 43 patients.
- Fingers yielded bacilli in 13 cases, earlobes in 12 cases, and lymph node aspirates in 5 cases.
- No clinical evidence of dapsone resistance was observed in any patient.
Conclusions:
- In addition to traditional earlobe sampling, examining other sites like fingers and lymph nodes can improve the detection of leprosy bacilli.
- Finger slit smears offer a simple and effective method for bacilli detection.
- Lymph node aspiration may be beneficial where facilities permit.