Leprosy XII. Quantitative analysis of thymus-derived lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin in leprosy

The immune status of various leprosy patients was evaluated by using a micromethod to evaluate lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In our study, whole blood was used and the degree of response to PHA stimulation was expressed in terms of unit volume of blood. A markedly decreased response to PHA stimulation was noted in patients with active lepromatous leprosy. Patients with active lepromatous leprosy who have been proved drug (DDS) resistant showed less response than did those of drug sensitive patients with active lepromatous disease, while the patients with active lepromatous leprosy complicated by erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) showed higher response than did those of patients with no complicated ENL. Comparing the results obtained to those obtained using other methods for T cell analysis indicates that these results reflect the number of T lymphocytes in the leprosy patient. Thus, this simple method is of value in assaying the presence and responses of T lymphocytes in the leprosy patient.