title: [Fernandez and Mitsuda reactions in patients with leprosy and their contacts].
abstract: Hanseniasis patients and contacts of Virchowian patients, totaling 467 persons have been submitted to Mitsuda's reaction. These individuals have been divided into five groups: group 1 compounded of 59 persons, relatives of Virchowian patients; group 2 - 171 persons, employees of the Hospital Lauro de Souza Lima working there for more than one year; group 3 - 127 hanseniasis patients in activity, Mitsuda negative; group 4 - 63 hanseniasis patients in activity, Mitsuda positive; group 5 - 47 Virchowian patients, inactive, Mitsuda negative. The analysis of the data showed that: a) hanseniasis patients, both Mitsuda positive and negative, do not present positivity to Fernandez's reaction; b) early reaction can be observed more frequently in individuals of group 1 than in those of group 2. Mitsuda's antigen causes the reversal of Fernandez's reaction in about 30% of indirect contacts; c) the percentage of negative Mitsuda's reactions (without induration) does not differ between groups 1 and 2, though indurations smaller than 5 mm have been as many as 10 times more frequent in individuals of group 1. A second application of the antigen in Mitsuda negative persons showed the reversal of the test in 100% of the tested subjects.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007916:Lepromin / Q000276:immunology*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology*; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D014373:Tuberculin; D007916:Lepromin
vernacular_title: Estudo das reaçóes de Fernandez e Mitsuda em pacientes hansenianos e seus contatos.