ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE HOUSE AND THE EXISTENCE OF MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE DNA IN THE SOIL OF THE HOUSE FLOOR IN LEPROSY ENDEMIC AREAS, MADURA, INDONESIA IN 2013

Received 2020-02-12; Accepted 2021-09-20; Published 2022-07-01

Abstract

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Five districts with the highest number of leprosy events, including the Camplong Subdistrict, have reported a continuous rise in the number of leprosy cases. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the physical environment of the house, the presence of M. leprae DNA on the floor of the house and the presence of leprosy patients in Camplong Subdistrict, Sampang District. This study used a cross-sectional design. We collected data regarding 40 houses. The presence of M. leprae DNA in the floor samples was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique; 10% of soil samples showed the presence of M. leprae DNA. Variables associated with the presence of leprosy patients were temperature and the wall of the house. We concluded that that the presence of M. leprae does not depend on the presence of leprosy patients in the house although, theoretically, the soil may be a transmission medium for M. leprae. Therefore, everyone residing in an endemic area has the same risk of M. leprae exposure from the environment. We recommend that programs be conducted in endemic areas to raise the knowledge of the population about what constitutes a healthy house.