Antigenic trigger for type 1 reaction in leprosy.
Type 1 (reversal or upgrading) reactions occur during or after chemotherapy in around 10% leprosy patients [Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis 61 (1993) 8-15]. The cause of this immunological upgrading is incompletely defined, although the approximately 2-fold increased risk of reaction in patients vaccinated with Mycobacterium w suggests that infection by mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium leprae may trigger this phenomenon [Vaccine 13 (1995) 1102-1110]. We report a case of borderline lepromatous leprosy in which we studied the antigenic specificity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells immediately before, and then during, a Type 1 reaction which provides more direct evidence in favor of this hypothesis.
Wilkinson
Robert J
RJ
Division of Medicine, Wellcome Trust Centre for Research Clinical Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London, 2nd Floor Wright Fleming Institute, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK. r.j.wilkinson@imperial.ac.uk
Lockwood
Diana N J
DN
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000276:immunology; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000276:immunology*; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial