Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 August 2014
Taste thresholds for phenylthiourea were measured among 900 Caucasoid leprous patients and among 1000 healthy Caucasoid control males, of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
The frequency of non-tasters among the leprous sample (19.7%) is significantly lower than that found among the healthy sample (24.7%). These results suggest a correlation between taste ability to phenylthourea and leprosy.
This work has been supported by grants from the World Health Organization and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo.