Abstract
It is well known from old times that the destructive and absorptive changes of fingers are seen in the lepromatous type of leprosy. In one of these changes there are bamboo-shoot like changes of fingers which are elucidated in the handbook of Klingmiiller as Spina ventosa leprosa and which are also reported as bamboo-shoot finger by Inaba. The true aetiological and pathological factors of Spina ventosa leprosa are not defined. Spina ventosa leprosa is not seen in nonlepromatous leprosy, but seen only in lepromatous leprosy following on repeated severe Erythema nodosum leprosum reaction. Bamboo-shoot like bone changes in leprosy are supposed to be closely related to immune cross-reaction.
It has been very difficult to get high titered anti-M. leprae rabbit sera against crude extract of M. leprae but high titered anti-M. leprae rabbit sera are obtained by immunizing rabbit with fresh unheated human leproma and polysaccharide fraction from Klebsiella pneumoniae type 2 in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. This paper describes the cause of Spina ventosa leprosa from the immunological point of view.
The results are shown in the tables and figures. As may be seen in Fig. 1. 2, 3 in agar gel double diffusion technique the anti-M. leprae rabbit sera reacted among the extract antigens of M. leprae, BCG, M. lepraemurium and human phalanx, each forming a precipitation band which fused. On the other hand, in Fig. 4 anti-BCG rabbit sera also gave a fused precipitation band between the extracts of M. leprae and human phalanx. These results clearly indicate the presence of a common antigen among M. leprae, BCG, M. lepraemurium and human humap phalanx. The common antigen is supposed to be a polysaccharide nature judging from boil stability.
As can be seen in Fig. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 the sections of human bones were stained with direct immunofluorescent method. The anti-M. leprae rabbit sera and anti-BCG rabbit sera contained a gamma globulin factor binding with human bones. The specificity of the reactions could be confirmed by inhibition test and absorption test.
These findings suggest that immune mechanisms might ber responsible for the occurrence of Spina ventosa leprosa.
