Original Articles 2012-02-20

The Use of Herbal Medicine and Traditional Medicine Formulations (TMFs) for Hypertension at Traditional Medicine Hospital, Yangon

This study was done to determine the use of herbal medicines and Traditional Medicine Formulations (TMFs) for treating hypertension at Outpatients' Department (OPD) of Traditional Medicine Hospital, Yangon. This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive study in 140 hypertensive patients attending th

Original Articles 2020-09-11

Is Community Intervention Effective for Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Care in Hard-to-Reach Areas of Chin State, Myanmar?

To tackle the maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) care needs is a challenging situation in remote and hard-to-reach areas. Intervention activities focusing on strengthening community health care network through community participation and supporting Basic Health Staffs for MNCH ser

Original Articles 2020-09-14

Incidence of Snakebite in Four Townships of Yangon Region

The true incidence of snakebite in Myanmar is unknown. The current data are based on hospital returns to Ministry of Health and Sports and they are likely to be under-reported. A community-based survey is useful to know the current burden of snakebite and thus for planning and formulating str

Next Prev

Aims of MHSR Journal

• To serve as an important medium for the publication of original research in the field of medical science and health research, thus filling gaps in health knowledge for effective utilization of research findings
• To impart current medical knowledge and updated scientific information obtained from research to health professionals for better and appropriate health care management
• To disseminate recent basic, applied and social research findings among health personnel of different strata for enhancing worldwide health development

Archives   2008

Myanmar   Health   Sciences   Research   Journal

Volume   20,  Number   1

TITLE:   The role of immunohistopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in The diagnosis of leprosy.
AUTHOR:   Khin Saw Aye; Aye Aye Win; Yin Min Htun; Tin Zar Maw; Kyaw Kyaw; Khin San Yin
SOURCE:   Myanmar Health Sciences Research Journal. 2008; 20(1): 51-59
ABSTRACT:   The aim of the study was to determine the role of immunohistopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the diagnosis of leprosy. A total of 112 skin biopsy specimens from leprosy patients attending the Central Special Skin Clinic, Yangon General Hospital have been examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, modified Fite-Faraco (F-F) tech-nique for M. leprae, immunostaining with the antibody against the phenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) and Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) using Avidin Biotin Complex (ABC) method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the primers amplifying the 130 base-pair fragment of the gene from the 16S ribosomal RNA of Mycobacterium leprae. Based on the clinical diagnosis and histological (Ridley-Jopling) classification, indeterminate(ID) and tuberculoid (TT) types were the most common in paucibacillary (PB) cases (64.9%) and borderline lepromatous(BL) and lepromatous (LL) types were most common in multibacillary (MB) cases (58.7%). So, H&E stain still plays an important role in the histo-pathological examination and is still the basic method for diagnosis and categorization of leprosy. Fite-Faraco stain was negative in all PB cases and half of the MB cases were positive. The finding was consistent with the clinical diagnosis of leprosy. According to the histological classification, detection of M. leprae by Fite stain was 100% negative in ID and TT types. Fite stain positivity was lowest in ID type (0%) and highest in LL type (94%). So F-F stain positivity correlated with the histological types of leprosy. F-F, BCG, and PGL-1 staining compared to PCR provided virtually 100% specificity, but only 40%, 50% and 46% sensitivity in detecting the organisms in clinical samples respectively.Application of histopathology, histochemistry, immunohistopathology and molecular techniques (PCR) for identification of M. lepraewas proved to be useful to diagnosis of early leprosy, which is important to maintain the achievements of Leprosy Elimination Program in Myanmar.
SUBJECT HEADINGS:   Polymerase Chain Reaction. Leprosy.
FULL TEXT: