Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w vaccine decreases the incidence and severity of type 2 (ENL) reactions.
Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w (M.w) vaccine was given to 45 patients with multibacillary (MB) leprosy; 41 similarly classified patients served as controls. All patients received standard multidrug therapy (MDT). Incidence, severity and frequency of type 2 (ENL) reactional episodes were monitored in both groups in a follow-up extending up to 4 years. Reactions were seen in fewer vaccinated (10/37) BL and LL patients than in the control group (12/34). A total of 20 episodes were recorded in the vaccine group as against 29 in the controls, 75% of reactions were mild in vaccinated and 51.72% were mild in the control group patients, and 3 patients in the control group had more than 3 reactional episodes. None of the vaccinated patients showed this. No additional incidence of neuritis were seen among vaccinated individuals during reactional episodes.
Zaheer
S A
SA
Microbiology Division, National Institute of Immunology, Jit Singh Marg, New Delhi, India.
Misra
R S
RS
Sharma
A K
AK
Beena
K R
KR
Kar
H K
HK
Mukherjee
A
A
Mukherjee
R
R
Walia
R
R
Talwar
G P
GP
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; C080550:Mycobacterium w vaccine