Abstract
The utilization of the lepromin reaction in the L-type patient is useful in differentiating leprosy bacillus from other acid-fast bacilli. A problem encountered here, is the influence of tissue components on the skin reaction other than the bacterial cell.
To clarify this, antigens were prepared by the Mitsuda method from the skin of healthy mouse, skin of healthy man, leproma of marine leprosy and leproma of leprosy patient, and prepared from M. ulcerans suspension. Fifty-six cases of L-type and 15 cases of T-type leprosy patients were injected with the various antigens and the reddening which had developed, was comparatively examined. Similar experiments were twice carried out.
The development of the reddening as an early stage reaction (average 3.6-5.3mm) and the late stage reaction (average 2.3-3.2mm) was observed, when the mouse skin antigen was tried, indicating then higher values of 1.2-2mm for the early reaction and 0.4-2.1mm for the late reaction in comparison with the human skin antigen.
In conclusion, a lepromin reaction tests, when determinating it with the antigen made from the acid-fast bacilli multiplied in the inoculated mouse, should be carried out with the antigen prepared by Dharmendra's method, rather than Mitsuda's antigen. Otherwise, the antigen should be diluted as much as possible and when determinating it, it is important to consider the reddening difference.
