Preliminary immunological studies in search of correlates of protective immunity carried out on some Iranian leprosy patients and their families

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Abstract
Multiple skin testing, lymphocyte transformation tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays [ELISA] of antibodies to mycobacterial antigens were carried out on patients and their healthy children living in a Leprosy Sanatorium in Iran. A remarkable correlation between responses to Mycobacterium leprae and M. vaccae was reported in all 3 test systems. The percentage of positive responders to skin tests with Leprosin A among the children was higher than was previously found; BCG was shown to enhance the capacity of the individual to recognize M. leprae in this way. The majority of a small number of children considered to be protected from leprosy were shown to possess lymphocytes that transform in the presence of M. leprae and M. vaccae antigens, but little antibody to M. leprae, by the ELISA. Of the 3 types of tests assessed only skin testing appeared valuable as a measure of protection; whether this will prove useful at the individual level is uncertain.