Korean J Dermatol.
1978 Feb;16(1):3-7.
Study on Peripheral T - Cell Pepulation in Parients with Leprosy
Abstract
- It is generally believed that the defense against mycobacterium leprae is largely mediated through cell-mediated immunity(CMI) and several investigators have reported a defective CMI in patients with leprosy. especially the lepromatous from. This study was undertaken to ennumerate the peripheral T-cell population in leprosy patients for evaluation of one aspect of its immune status. Fiftu-two patients with leprosy(26 tuberculoid, 17 active lepromatous, 9 inactive lepromatous) entered in this study. All the patients are under regular antileprosy chemotherapy for varing periods(10 months to 14 years). Peripheral blood T0lymphocytes were enumerated by the E-rosette technique and compared with normal healthy control. The results were as follows: The mean T-cell percentage in peripheral blood was 50.6% in 17 active lepromatous leprosy patients, 62.2% in 9 inactive lepromatous leprosy patients, 67.7% in 26 tuberculoid patients and 69.5% in 17 normal healthy controls, There was marked decrease in the peripheral T-cell ratio in active lepromatous group (p<0,005) and less marked decrease in inactive lepromatous group (0.01.
