Rapid Identification of Mycobacterium Leprae by Polymerase Chain Reaction-restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of the Heat Shock Protein 65 Gene from Skin Specimens

IntRoductIon Leprosy caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae), is a chronic granulomatous disease affecting the skin and peripheral nervous system, which is transmitted through direct contact with nontreated or inadequate treatment patients.[1] Diagnosis of leprosy depends on the clinical signs and symptoms and slit skin smear positivity. However, it’s sometimes similar with other granulomatous disease caused by mycobacterial infection. Early stage leprosy is difficult to diagnose by clinical criterion alone because the sensitivity of acid‐fast bacilli staining is quite low. The polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) shows the great advantage in rapid identification and diagnosis for early cases and has a differentiation between leprosy and nonleprosy cases.