Response to Article “Coinfection with Leprosy and Tuberculosis: A Case Series in Malagasy Patients” [Letter]

Dear editor

We congratulate Rakotoarisaona et al for successfully conducting research in Madagascar studying the case series of coinfection with leprosy and tuberculosis which is important for understanding the oldest and most common mycobacterial infections. Findings from this study show good information of clinical cases in Malagasy patients, there were six cases of leprosy and tuberculosis coinfection.¹

However, after reviewing this research carefully, we suggest adding the serology data to confirm those infections. Serological testing are valid, cheap, and more sensitive diagnosis of leprosy so there is definitely data.² The serology test using PGL-1 which is a specific antigen of Mycobacterium leprae that infected leprosy patients.³

Other research shows the bacteriological data of tuberculosis also having culturing data, because culturing is a gold standard in Mycobacterium tuberculosis diagnosis for tuberculosis infection,⁴ so this data needs to be added in the discussion.

We sincerely thank you for your concern and look forward to continued efforts in mycobacterial coinfection research one day.

Disclosure

The authors have disclosed that there are no conflicts of interest in this communication.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all the researchers and Prof. Dr. Sunarno in the Center for Biomedical Research BRIN for their continuous support. The authors would also like to convey gratitude to the research team of Rakotoarisaona et al for their valuable research report.