Estudio de los parámetros inmunológicos en pacientes portadores de la enfermedad de Hansen

Abstract

In a group of 32 patients suffering from Hansen's disease, 20 with lepromatous leprosy, 8 with tuberculoid leprosy and 4 with intermedial form, we studied some humoral and cellular parameters.

Patients with lepromatous leprosy or with forms cloase related to the low resistance pole of that disease showed severe impairment of cellular immunity (low T-lym-phocyte counts and depressed reactivity in cutaneous tests to several antigens) and huperactivity of humoral immunity, evidenciated by increased B-hymphocyte counts, high immunoglobulin levels and antibodies specially directed against M. leprae. In tuberculoid forms, alterations were less significant but still present. Under therapeutic action of notherapy (Transference Factor), the studied parameters changed according with the clinical evolution of the disease.