Biomaterial Database

Comparative study of skin reactions in leprosy patients to M. leprae-lepromin and to ICRC-in, an antigen from cultivable acid-fast bacilli from M. leprae isolated from lepromatous nodules. 1977

C V Bapat, and M S Modak, and N G DeSouza, and R G Chulawalla

Skin test antigens (Dharmendra type) were prepared from fresh M. leprae (lepromin) and from a culture of strain C-44 ICRC bacilli (ICRCin) grown 'in vitro' from M. leprae isolate from lepromatous nodules. Comparative study of skin reactivity to lepromin and ICRCin--both "early" and "late" reactions in 76 leprosy patients was conducted. In 29 lepromatous (LL) cases, 25 exhibited totally negative reaction at the end of third week. In tuberculoid (TT) 22 and 23 out of 31 were positive (greater than 4.5 mm) at 3 weeks to lepromin and ICRCin respectively. In the 16 BB group, the reactions were comparable in the same patient. The cellular reaction in tuberculoid cases consisted of lymphocytic infiltration, epitheloid giant cells and Langhan type cells and indistinguishable from each other. These data with characteristic total lack of reaction in 25/29 lepromatous leprosy cases and identical cellular reaction in TT patients, provide strong evidence that ICRC bacillus strain C-44 is antigenically identical with M. leprae.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007916	Lepromin
D007918	Leprosy	A chronic granulomatous infection caused by MYCOBACTERIUM LEPRAE. The granulomatous lesions are manifested in the skin, the mucous membranes, and the peripheral nerves. Two polar or principal types are lepromatous and tuberculoid.	Hansen's Disease,Hansen Disease
D009166	Mycobacterium leprae	A species of gram-positive, aerobic bacteria that causes LEPROSY in man. Its organisms are generally arranged in clumps, rounded masses, or in groups of bacilli side by side.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000942	Antigens, Bacterial	Substances elaborated by bacteria that have antigenic activity.	Bacterial Antigen,Bacterial Antigens,Antigen, Bacterial
D012882	Skin Tests	Epicutaneous or intradermal application of a sensitizer for demonstration of either delayed or immediate hypersensitivity. Used in diagnosis of hypersensitivity or as a test for cellular immunity.	Skin Test,Test, Skin,Tests, Skin