Host-pathogen interaction - new in vitro drug test systems against Mycobacterium leprae - possibilities and limitations

Abstract

In this presentation the authors report several in vitro test systems that could identify viability of M. leprae and determine the drug sensitivity. The methods also enable screening new compounds for anti M. leprae activity. They also show that these methods have excellent correlation with mouse footpad tests. In all these in vitro systems they have used M. leprae phagocytosed by macrophages and monitored various parameters to indicate viability or otherwise of the bacteria.