Chronic human brucellosis and anti-anergic treatment with levamisole

Dysfunction of the cellular immune mechanism was found in 23 patients with persistent symptoms of brucellosis of more than one year's duration when skin tested for delayed hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Eighteen patients had low normal or depressed E rosetting capacity of their lymphocytes. Anti-anergic treatment with levamisole 150 mg daily for one month and for two consecutive days each week for six months produced an exacerbation of symptoms after one to four weeks followed by complete relief from symptoms in 15 patients and partial relief in four. Vitamin A was used to potentiate the effect of levamisole in seven patients.