Serum immunoglobulins in leprosy

Serum immunoglobulins were quantitated by radial immunodiffusion in 25 cases each of tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy. Immunoglobulins estimated from 50 normal healthy adults were the control. Serum IgG was markedly raised in both tuberculoid (mean 2420 mg/dl) and lepromatous leprosy (mean 2493 mg/dl) when compared with the controls (mean 1288 mg/dl) and the difference was significant (p less than 0.01). However the difference in serum IgM and IgA levels in cases as compared to controls were not statistically significant. Serum IgM was slightly raised, the mean values obtained being 222 mg/dl in tuberculoid leprosy, 221 mg/dl in lepromatous leprosy and 202 mg/dl in control. Serum IgA was reduced in lepromatous leprosy (mean 129 mg/dl) as compared to the controls (mean 168 mg/dl) and the cases of tuberculoid leprosy (mean 165 mg/dl). The range of values obtained in both groups of patients showed greater scatter than the controls and a few cases of both forms of leprosy showed very low values of both serum IgA and IgM.