02143nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653002100059653002100080653001200101653001100113653001700124100001500141700001800156700001300174700001400187700002200201700001800223245009300241856006800334300001100402490000700413050001600420520141500436022001401851       2013                            d  c2013 Nov-Dec10aHealth Personnel10aHealth  Services10aleprosy10aBrazil10aML Flow test1 aCalado KLS1 aMagnanini MMF1 aMoura RS1 aGallo MEN1 aBührer-Sékula S1 aOliveira MLWD00aSerology with ML Flow test in health professionals from three different states of Brazil  uhttp://www.scielo.br/pdf/abd/v88n6/0365-0596-abd-88-06-0918.pdf  a918-230 v88  aCALADO 20133 aBACKGROUND: In highly endemic countries, transmission and sub-clinical infection of leprosy are likely and the disease manifests itself in individuals without any known close contact with a leprosy patient. Health workers are social contacts belonging to the same network (the Health System) and some of them share the same social environment (nursing assistants) as patients with known patients and / or carriers.

OBJECTIVE: To identify ML Flow seropositivity among health professionals.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using a serological survey with the ML Flow test in 450 health professionals (doctors, nurses and nursing assistants), in order to detect seropositivity in areas of high and low endemicity in municipalities from three Brazilian states (RJ, MS and RS).

RESULTS: The results showed general 16% seropositivity, higher in low endemic areas, regardless of whether there was direct care for leprosy patients. Paradoxically, a statistical association was observed between the area studied and seropositivity, as the place with the lowest endemicity (CA) had the highest seropositivity rate (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSION: The authors suggest these results are associated with a presence of an unspecified link to bovine serum albumin (BSA), carrier of PGL-1 in the ML Flow test, and recommend expanded seroepidemiological research utilizing tests with human and bovine albumin.  a1806-4841