Korean J Dermatol.  1983 Aug;21(4):377-385.

A Study on Circulating Immune Complexes in Leprosy Sera

• Cho KH
• Kim WS
• Kim HS
• Kim DI

Abstract

Recent studies indicated that cellular and humoral immune reactions against Afycobacterium leprae may be involved in the development of some of the pathological manifestations. In lepromatous leprosy one might anticipate the formation of immune complexes from concomitant occurrence of large amounts of mycobacteria and corresponding antibodies. Indeed, there are some evidences of an involvement of immune complexes in the pathogenesis of erythema nodosum leprosum(ENL), mainly based on clinical and pathological studies. Some of numerous immune cornplex tests have been applied for the study of leprosy, But no single test has yet been shown to be the rnost sensitive and the most specific for the entire spectrum of circulating immune complexes. Furthermore. Leprosy has been found to differ in its clinical manifestations and immunological behaviors in different geographic areas and races. The authors considered it is necessary to determine the circulating immune complexes in Korean patients with leprosy to evaluate the immune status and the differences in the immunologic reactivity between the lepromatous and the tuberculoid spectrum of Ieprosy.

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Antigen-Antibody Complex*
Continental Population Groups
Erythema Nodosum
Humans
Leprosy*
Leprosy, Lepromatous
Antibodies
Antigen-Antibody Complex