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A study of cell mediated immunity in leprosy
Leprosy in India
|April 1, 1981
Summary
Cellular immunity is depressed in leprosy patients, particularly in lepromatous leprosy (LL). Antileprosy treatment, especially with Lamprene, improves cellular immunity, aiding in patient progress assessment.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Dermatology
Background:
- Leprosy significantly impacts cellular immunity.
- Understanding immune status is crucial for leprosy management.
- Different clinical forms of leprosy may exhibit varying immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess cellular immunity in leprosy patients across different clinical types.
- To evaluate the impact of antileprosy treatment on cellular immunity.
- To investigate the influence of leprosy reactions on immune status.
Main Methods:
- Review of 123 leprosy cases, including fresh, reaction, and treated cases.
- Assessment of cellular immunity via lymphoblastic transformation (blast cell percentage).
- Follow-up lymphocyte cultures for untreated cases after initiating treatment.
Main Results:
- Cell-mediated immunity is depressed in leprosy, most in lepromatous leprosy (LL) and least in tuberculoid leprosy (TT).
- Antileprosy treatment leads to a significant increase in blast cell percentage, indicating improved cellular immunity.
- Lamprene treatment showed a greater increase in blast cells compared to DDS treatment.
- Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) cases exhibited higher blast cell percentages than other lepra reactions.
Conclusions:
- Cellular immunity is demonstrably impaired in leprosy patients.
- Antileprosy treatment effectively enhances cellular immunity.
- Serial lymphocyte cultures can be valuable for monitoring individual patient progress during treatment.
- Leprosy reactions, particularly ENL, influence immune responses.