Volume 80, Number 3, September 2009 Contents 235 Editor’s Choice September 2009. J. H. RICHARDUS Editorial 236 IDEAL: in the footsteps of IMMLEP and THELEP. P. J. BRENNAN Commentary 246 Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium leprae: a solid beginning. B. G. HALL 250 Characterisation of Short tandem repeats for genotyping Mycobacterium leprae. T. GILLIS, V. VISSA, M. MATSUOKA, S. YOUNG, J. H. RICHARDUS, R. TRUMAN, B. HALL, P. BRENNAN AND THE IDEAL CONSORTIUM PARTNERS 261 VNTR typing studies of Mycobacterium leprae in China: Assessment of methods and stability of markers during treatment. Y. XING, J. LIU, R. M. SAKAMURI, Z. WANG, Y. WEN, V. VISSA AND X. WENG 272 A continuation: study and characterisation of Mycobacterium leprae short tandem repeat genotypes and transmission of leprosy in Cebu, Philippines. R. M. SAKAMURI, J. HARRISON, R. GELBER, P. SAUNDERSON, P. J. BRENNAN, M. BALAGON AND V. VISSA 280 Molecular epidemiology of leprosy based on VNTR typing in Thailand. S. SRISUNGNAM,J. RUDEEANEKSIN, A. LUKEBUA, S. WATTANAPOKAYAKIT, S. PASADORN, K. MAHOTARN, A. CHOLAPAN,R. M. SAKAMURI, M. KIMURA, P. J. BRENNAN, B. PHETSUKSIRI AND V. VISSA 290 VNTR typing of Mycobacterium leprae in South Indian leprosy patients. V. SHINDE, H. NEWTON,R. M. SAKAMURI, V. REDDY, S. JAIN, A. JOSEPH, T. GILLIS, I. NATH, G. NORMAN AND V. VISSA 302 Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium leprae isolates from Brazilian leprosy patients.A. N. B. FONTES, R. M. SAKAMURI, I. M. F. D. BAPTISTA, S. URA, M. O. MORAES, A. N. MARTÍNEZ,E. N. SARNO, P. J. BRENNAN, V. D. VISSA AND P. N. SUFFYS 316 Identification and comparison of Mycobacterium leprae genotypes in two geographical regions of Colombia. N. CARDONA-CASTRO, J. C. BELTRÁN-ALZATE, I. M. ROMERO-MONTOYA, E. MELÉNDEZ, F. TORRES, R. M. SAKAMURI, W. LI AND V. VISSA 322 Various genotypes of Mycobacterium leprae from Mexico reveal distinct geographic distribution. M. MATSUOKA, A. V. GONZALEZ, I. ESTRADA, C. CARREN~O-MARTINEZ AND M. FAFUTIS-MORRIS Editorial 327 The use of GIS in leprosy control. M. I. BAKKER, P .F. D. SCHEELBEEK AND S. M. VAN BEERS 332 The epidemiological behaviour of leprosy in Brazil. M. L. F. PENNA, M. L. V. D. R. DE OLIVEIRA AND G. O. PENNA 345 Book Review. D. SOUTAR