Genetic markers and leprosy in South African negroes. Part I. Serum protein polymorphisms

The phenotype frequencies of the serum protein polymorphisms Hp, Gc, Tf, Gm and Inv were determined on a sample of 250 South African Negroes with leprosy. These results were compared with data derived from 918-977 (depending on the polymorphism tested) healthy Negro controls of similar geographical and ethnic origin, in order to determine whether or not any association existed between specific phenotypes and the occurrence of leprosy. The data derived from the present study were also compared with those of similar comparative analyses on African and non-African populations. Because of the contradictory results between samples with regard to the polymorphisms Hp, Gc and Inv, an association of any of these phenotypes with leprosy appears to be highly improbable. With regard to the polymorphisms Tf and Gm, however, such associations cannot be ruled out. The questions arising from the results are discussed.