Suppressor determinants of mycobacteria and their potential relevance to leprosy

Abstract

This paper extends our studies of the local and distant suppressions of skin-test responses to mixed mycobacterial reagents previously demonstrated in Nepal and Bombay. Several new mixtures were prepared, which included DEAE separated fractions of a sonicate of My cobacterium vaccae (Vaccin). Local suppression was a major fe ature of the results in ali the centres except Kopri in Bombay. Ali of the Vaccin fractions were capable of inducing local suppression. Distant suppression associated with ali the fr actions was observed at one of the Bombay centres, but not the other (p < OOOOO I). In Kenya distant suppression also occurred at only one of the centres (p < 0'00003), but at this centre it was associated significantly with only 2 of the 5 fractions tested (p < 000 I in each case).