Abstract
Summary
The concentrations of serum immunoglobulins G, A, M and D from 125 patients with leprosy (40 tuberculoid, 79 lepromatous, and 6 borderline cases) were quantitated by the radial immunodiffusion technique; elevation of IgE in these sera was qualitatively detected by the Ouchterlony technique. The results were analyzed with respect to the type, the duration, and the progress of the disease. The mean levels of IgG, IgA, IgM and IgD were 2171, 539, 148, and 9.9 mg/100 ml, respectively (the corresponding levels in the normal controls were 1480, 282, 126, and 3.7 mg/100 ml). The immunoglobulin alterations were similar in patients with lepromatous and tuberculoid types of disease. Only the increase of IgA seemed to be correlated with the duration of infection, i.e., higher IgA levels were associated with longer duration of infection. Patients who had apparently recovered after drug therapy had higher IgA level, but less IgM than patients with active disease.
The authors are grateful to Dr. Phairoj Prasertsaravuth, Director of Phrapradaeng Leprosarium for his cooperation, and to W. D. and J. A. Sawyer for their suggestions and criticism during the preparation of this manuscript.
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