Genomic Reduction at TTC Repeats in the Bacterial Genome of Treated Cases of Hansen's Disease: A Possible Survival Mechanism of .

Introduction: has a small genome and a tendency of persisting as a very low-grade infection. The authors have shown earlier, that the changes in TTC repeats, in genome may contribute to the restriction of the pathogenicity of the bacterium and its survival strategy in case of pure neural Hansen's disease. We suspect, that a similar genomic reduction if happens in treated cases of Hansen's disease, can be a determining factor for developing persisters and relapse.