Study of Bacteriological and Morphological Indices in Lymph Node by Needle Aspiration

Bacillary index (BI) and morphological index (MI) in lymph nodes, have been studied in 30 patients with various types of leprosy by lymph node aspiration and impression smears, This comparatively safer, less traumatising out patient procedure, already established for the study of malignant cytology is recommended as a better alternative to the more time consuming and painful lymph node excision biopsy technique for the study of viability of lepra bacilli (MI) in patients undergoing anti-leprosy treatment.