title: Thymus-dependent lymphocytes of peripheral blood in leprosy patients.
abstract: Study of the numbers of thymus-derived lymphocytes by the rosette assay (T-RFC) in patients with leprosy reveals that lower than normal numbers of T-RFC are regularly seen in those patients with the active lepromatous form of this disease. Essentially normal numbers of T-RFC were found in inactive lepromatous, borderline, and indeterminate types of leprosy. The lowest percentages and lowest absolute numbers of T-RFC were encountered in patients with lepromatous leprosy resistant to chemotherapy. Patients with lepromatous leprosy complicated by erythema nodosum leprosum show numbers of T-RFC that are more nearly normal than the numbers of T-RFC in patients with uncomplicated lepromatous leprosy. These findings are discussed with respect to the pathogenesis of lepromatous leprosy and the T-RFC deficiency demonstrated in this disease. The possibility that transient defects in T-RFC numbers or function may predispose to lepromatous leprosy is proposed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002991:Clofazimine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003622:Dapsone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000150:complications; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006801:Humans; D007104:Immune Adherence Reaction; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010619:Phenazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012756:Sheep; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
chemical_list: D010619:Phenazines; D003622:Dapsone; D002991:Clofazimine