抄録
The immunotherapy of three leprosy patients with the transfusion of leucocytes mainly composed of lymphocytes from healthy donors was tried. The type of two cases is LL inclined to BL, still having high BI, and the other one is BL, having low BI caused by the chemotherapy. In the last case, his BI reached the level of 1 in 1975, which thereafter continued for three years despite of chemotherapy. Before transfusion, the examinations were made in order to confirm no possibility of occurrence of GVH reaction. 108-109 leucocytes. mainly lymphocytes, were transfused into each case once a week. When the reversal reaction occurred, the interval was prolonged. The transfusion was repeated 8-9 times in each case.
The bacterial index of the case No.1 decreased a little, but didn't in the case No.2. In the case No.3, the BI fell rapidly to become negative.
In the case No.1, the ratio of T-cell which had been low before treatment increased smoothly. In the case No.2, and No.3, it did not increase. The function of lymphocytes was not so intensified. The negative lepromin reaction was not inverted positively. The titer of leprosy bacilli specific antibody and the level of immunoglobulins did not so change. When reversal reaction occurred, the complement titer decreased. Any side-effect was not observed in these cases, though many kinds of examination were made.
Some effects can be obtained by the transfusion of lymphocytes in the patient of which BI becomes low by the chemotherapy. But, at any rate, the immunotherapy only by means of the transfusion of lymphocytes cannot be expected to bring on remarkable improvement.
