A preliminary investigation of the responsiveness or otherwise of patients and staff of a leprosy hospital to groups of shared or species specific antigens of mycobacteria

Abstract

In an attempt to classify skin-test responsiveness of leprosy patients according to the groups of antigens, rather than the individual mycobacterial species to which they respond, we have tested patients and staff members at Anandaban leprosy hospital in Nepal with Burulin (made from My cobacteria ulcerans) and 3 specially mixed re agents. Ability to make a positive response to group i, common mycobacterial antigens, was almost absent and to group ii, antigens associated with slow growers, was markedly impaired in the patient groups. However, positive responses to group iv, species specific, antigens of slowly growing species were re tained. Non-specific skin-test unresponsiveness (Category 2) due either to sequestration of the relevant cells outside the circulation or to circulating suppressor factors was present in 2 out of 27 staff members, 9 out of 24 TT/BT patients, 11 out of 18 BL patients and 10 out of 22 LL patients. Evidence of a suppressor mechanism possibly triggered by group iv antigens of fast growers and operative on positive responses to slow growers, was demonstrable in 3 out of 12 staff members, 8 out of 14 TT /BT patients, 7 out of 7 BL patients and 6 out of 12 L L patients.