CIRCULATING AND TISSUE IMMUNE-COMPLEXES IN LEPROSY

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (3) , 294-301
Abstract
Various immunological studies were conducted in lepromatous leprosy patients. There was a polyclonal rise of all the 3 major Ig. Serum IgD levels remained unaltered. Positive latex agglutination reactions (RA) and parietal cell antibodies were distinctly more frequent in patients. Of the patients 85% showed a strongly positive complement deviation test; the mean platelet aggregation titer was 1 in 81 in the patients compared to 1 in 3 in the controls. Thus, the presence of circulating immune complexes in a large percentage of cases was indicated. Ig and complement were observed in the dermal capillaries and small arterioles, but not in larger vessels, in 6 of 17 cases. Only 1 case showed staining of the dermoepidermal junction. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were detected in a single patient; this patient also showed ANA in vivo.