Prototype multi-biomarker test for point-of-care leprosy diagnostics

• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.102006
• Publication Date: 2020-12-29T17:36:28Z
• Authors: Anouk van Hooij; Elisa M. Tjon Kon...; Danielle de Jong; Marufa Khatun; Santosh Soren; Abu Sufian Chowdhury; Johan Chandra Roy; Khorshed Alam; Jong-Pill Kim; Jan Hendrik Richa...; Annemieke Geluk; Paul L.A.M. Corst...
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being; Diagnostic Technique in Health Technology; Applied Microbiology; Science; EMC OR-01; Q; Article; Biotechnology; 3. Good health

To end the decade-long, obstinately stagnant number of new leprosy cases, there is an urgent need for field-applicable diagnostic tools that detect infection with Mycobacterium leprae, leprosy's etiologic agent. Since immunity against M. leprae is characterized by humoral and cellular markers, we developed a lateral flow test measuring multiple host proteins based on six previously identified biomarkers for various leprosy phenotypes. This multi-biomarker test (MBT) demonstrated feasibility of quantitative detection of six host serum proteins simultaneously, jointly allowing discrimination of patients with multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy from control individuals in high and low leprosy endemic areas. Pilot testing of fingerstick blood showed similar MBT performance in point-of-care (POC) settings as observed for plasma and serum. Thus, this newly developed prototype MBT measures six biomarkers covering immunity against M. leprae across the leprosy spectrum. The MBT thereby provides the basis for immunodiagnostic POC tests for leprosy with potential for other (infectious) diseases as well.