Genomic Reduction at TTC Repeats in the Bacterial Genome of Treated Cases of Hansen's Disease: A Possible Survival Mechanism of <i>Mycobacterium leprae</i>.

leprae , this tandem repeat is very specific and any deletion of genes in the TTC repeat sequence may have a detrimental effect on their fitness and on their ability to cause disease.[ 6 7 8 ] Furthermore, the occurrence of disease relapse or inability of multidrug therapy (MDT) to tame the bacterium proliferation is observed with an increasing trend.[ 9 ] Mycobacterial persisters have been reported in the treated cases of Hansen's disease and it was postulated that such persisters may contribute to relapse of Hansen's disease after completion of the World Health Organization (WHO) MDT.[ 10 ] Previous reports suggested a few mutations in the rp

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There was a highly significant variation in the genomic drop pattern in the TTC repeat region [Tables 2 and 4 ].

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