Assessment of Dharmendra antigen. (VI) skin tests with fractionated nucleic acids

Leprosy patients were skin tested for induction of skin delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) with various preparations of Dharmendra Antigen (DA) (sonicated antigen, DNA + RNA and DNA). Extracted nucleic acids produced smaller reactions (including some negative ones) as compared to sonicated whole antigen (which included proteins). BCG fractions, prepared similarly, produced non specific skin reactions.