Abstract
ABSTRACTLeprosy has been regarded as a host dependent disease that presents an immunological spectrum. Various parameters of in vivo and in vitro cell‐mediated and humoral responses in different forms of leprosy were studied. Lepromatous leprosy patients showed hyper gammaglobulinemia with significantly elevated levels of IgG and IgA while tuberculoid leprosy patients showed raised IgG levels.Cutaneous reactions to lepromin antigen were significantly depressed in patients with lepromatous leprosy while those to PPD were normal. Mitogenic response of peripheral leucocytes to phytoheamagglutinin was considerably depressed in untreated lepromatous leprosy and normal in tuberculoid leprosy. Dapsone‐treated patients with lepromatous leprosy showed a normal or enhanced response. Contributory factors were also found in plasma. T‐lymphocytes were significantly reduced in lepromatous leprosy with high bacillary load. B‐cells were increased in lepromatous patients. Tuberculoid leprosy patients had normal values.Phagocytic and bacteriolytic activity of blood derived macrophages was not altered in the lepromatous or tuberculoid patients.
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