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Hansen's DiseaseEPI-LEPRNCT05031091

Epidemiology of Leprosy in French Guiana

An observational study of Hansen's Disease, run by Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne at 1 site in French Guiana.

Unknown status

Status not confirmed. The sponsor has not verified this record for over two years, so it may be out of date.

Official record
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Trial summary

The main objective of the present study is the genotyping of M. leprae strains found in leprosy patients in French Guiana. The secondary objectives are to investigate the presence of M. lepromatosis in these patients, the molecular research of M. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Hansen's Disease
What is being tested?
standardised exposure questionnaire
How many people
368 participants
Where
1 siteFrench Guiana
Study dates
7 Jan 2020to 31 Dec 2023
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Study population: For cases: The source population is that of patients with confirmed leprosy, diagnosed or followed up in French Guiana between the beginning of 2006 and the end of 2022, seen in dermatology consultations as part of the Hansen's disease control programme in French Guiana or seen in infectious diseases consultations. For controls:The target population for the controls is that of patients with another dermatological pathology in French Guiana. The source population is that of patients seen in consultation by the team of the dermatology department of the Cayenne Hospital for any other reason than leprosy, seen at the Cayenne Hospital or during dermatology consultations carried out in the health centres or at the CHOG.

Who may be able to join

  • FOR TRANSVERSAL STUDY:
  • any patient, regardless of age, consulting a practitioner at the Cayenne Hospital with a clinical suspicion of leprosy
  • Diagnosis of leprosy, confirmed histologically or bacteriologically, made in Guyana between 2006 and 2022
  • Skin biopsy (or dermal smear or nasal swab) available in the anatomopathology department of the Andrée Rosemon Hospital and analysable (correct state of preservation and sufficient quantity of tissue)
  • FOR CASE-CONTROL STUDY - CASES:
  • any patient, regardless of age, consulting a practitioner at the Cayenne Hospital with a clinical suspicion of leprosy
Show all 9Show fewer
  • Diagnosis of leprosy, confirmed histologically or bacteriologically, made in Guyana between 2006 and 2022
  • FOR CASE-CONTROL STUDY - CONTROL:
  • Any patient, of any age, consulting for a dermatological pathology not clinically suspicious of leprosy during a dermatological consultation by a practitioner of the Cayenne Hospital

Who cannot join

  • FOR TRANSVERSAL STUDY:
  • Opposition to participation
  • Diagnosis of leprosy invalidated after inclusion
  • FOR CASE-CONTROL STUDY - CASES:
  • Opposition to participation
  • Inability to answer to the questionnaire
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Diagnosis of leprosy invalidated after inclusion
  • FOR CASE-CONTROL STUDY - CONTROL:
  • Opposition to participation
  • Inability to answer to the questionnaire

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

French Guiana1 site, 1 recruiting
  • General Hospital of Cayenne

    Cayenne, 97306

    Mathieu Nacher, Pr, 0594395385, mathieu.nacher@ch-cayenne.fr

    Roxane Schaubb, PhD, 05 94 39 53 88, roxane.schaub@ch-cayenne.fr

    Recruiting

Other trials in French Guiana

About this study

The main objective of the present study is the genotyping of M. leprae strains found in leprosy patients in French Guiana. The secondary objectives are to investigate the presence of M. lepromatosis in these patients, the molecular research of M. leprae resistance to anti-leprosy antibiotics, the study of risk factors for leprosy in humans in Guyana and in particular direct or indirect contact with armadillos, as well as the determination of phylogenetic links between the M. leprae strains found in French Guiana, and with the regional and world reference strains Epidemiology of leprosy in French Guiana.

Read the detailed description

Rationale: Leprosy (also known as Hansen's disease) is a chronic infection caused by intracellular mycobacteria, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis (discovered in 2008), preferentially affecting the skin and peripheral nervous system. The disease in humans is potentially disabling and stigmatising.

The modes of transmission of leprosy are not yet fully understood, although it is generally accepted that the main mode of transmission is human-to-human. Apart from humans, the only other major confirmed animal reservoir of M. leprae is the 9-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus, which is found only in the Americas. Recent studies in the southern United States suggest transmission of M. leprae between D. novemcinctus and humans, where 64% of human cases may be attributable to armadillos. Uncertainties remain regarding the zoonotic nature of the disease outside the US and the precise mode of transmission.

The disease is endemic on the American continent where 92% of new cases come from Brazil. In French Guiana - bordering Brazil - leprosy is still present and shows a tendency to recrudesce with about 10 new cases per year. Armadillo consumption is frequent.

Objectives: The main objective of the present study is the genotyping of M. leprae strains found in leprosy patients in French Guiana. The secondary objectives are to investigate the presence of M. lepromatosis in these patients, the molecular research of M. leprae resistance to anti-leprosy antibiotics, the study of risk factors for leprosy in humans in Guyana and in particular direct or indirect contact with armadillos, as well as the determination of phylogenetic links between the M. leprae strains found in French Guiana, and with the regional and world reference strains Population and methods: A cross-sectional study will be conducted on approximately 150 cases of leprosy diagnosed between 2006 and 2022 in French Guyana, seen by the department's anti-leprosy service and for which a skin biopsy (or dermal smear or nasal swab) is available. Genotyping of M. leprae and the search for antibiotic resistance, as well as the search for M. lepromatosis will be carried out by molecular biology. Human strains will be compared with environmental strains from French Guiana and with reference strains found in humans and armadillos. A minimum-spanning-tree and maximum parsimony analysis will be performed to determine the phylogenetic relationships between the different strains.

A 3:1 matched case-control study will be conducted to assess risk factors for leprosy in French Guiana. The 92 cases will be recruited from among leprosy cases diagnosed between 2006 and 2022 in French Guyana, seen by the departmental leprosy control. The 276 controls will be recruited by dermatologists from the Cayenne hospital, throughout the territory, by matching 3 controls per case according to sex and age (± 5 years). A standardised exposure questionnaire will be conducted face to face or by telephone. The search for leprosy risk factors and in particular direct or indirect contact with armadillos (proximity / hunting / handling / consumption) will be explored by univariate and then multivariate conditional logistic regressions taking into account known potential confounding factors.

Being tested
standardised exposure questionnaire
Medical subject headings
Leprosy

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • standardised exposure questionnaireOther

    A standardised exposure questionnaire will be conducted face to face or by telephone. The search for risk factors for leprosy and in particular direct or indirect contact with armadillos will be explored

Study groups in NCT05031091
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Case: patients with confirmed leprosydiagnosed or followed up in French Guiana between the beginning of 2006 and the end of 2022
Receives: Other: standardised exposure questionnaire
Control: patient with a dermatological condition not clinically suspicious of leprosyAny patient, of any age, consulting for a dermatological pathology not clinically suspicious of leprosy during a dermatological consultation by a practitioner of the Cayenne Hospital
Receives: Other: standardised exposure questionnaire

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Genotype of M. Leprae srtrains

    Genotyping of M. leprae strains will be genotyped by determining the type (1,2,3,4), subtype (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P) by SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) sequencing and VNTR (Variable Number Tandem Repeat) typing of each selected strain, as recommended by Singh and Cole and used by Truman and Sharma , or, depending on the bacterial index and technical possibilities, by whole genome sequencing, as described by Stefani.

    Measured: 1 day

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Phylogenetic relationships between strains

    Determination of phylogenetic relationships between strains by relative proximity of strains

    Measured: 1 day

  2. M. lepromatosis positivity determined by qPCR (real-time PCR)

    1. lepromatosis positivity determined by qPCR (real-time PCR)

    Measured: 1 day

  3. presence of antibiotic resistance mutation

    Presence of antibiotic resistance mutations (primary resistance in samples from new leprosy cases, secondary resistance in samples from retreatment cases (patient diagnosed with leprosy who has already received treatment for leprosy), by PCR or whole genome sequencing

    Measured: 1 day

  4. identification of direct contact (hunting/handling/consumption) with armadillos and other wild animals

    identification of risk factors for leprosy in humans in French Guiana: Description of the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients

    Measured: 1 day

  5. identification of indirect contact (proximity/work on the land) with armadillos and other wild animals

    identification of risk factors for leprosy in humans in French Guiana: Description of the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients

    Measured: 1 day

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Sep 2021
  2. Study start7 Jan 2020
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2022 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2023 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Case-control
Time perspective
Other
Enrolment
368 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05031091
Sponsor's protocol ID
EPI-LEPR
Acronym
EPI-LEPR
Status last verified
Aug 2021
First submitted
24 Aug 2021
Last updated
1 Sep 2021
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Hansen's Disease, run by Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne at 1 site in French Guiana.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Sep 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in French Guiana. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Results are not available in the source record.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Genotype of M. Leprae srtrains (time frame: 1 day). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Sep 2021.

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