Ten-year Study of Lepromin Response in Child Contacts of Leprosy Patients

Abstract

In this study, 484 leprosy contact children were tested with Dharmendra lepromin and the early and late responses were recorded. These were followed-up for a period of 10 years. They were compared with lepromin reaction in 135 children who wereliving in the households where there were no leprosy cases. All the contacts and non-contacts belonged to villages in the Chingleput Taluk. Amongst contacts, the early lepromin was positive in 283 and negative in 201. Forty-six contacts developed leprosy from mostly amongst leproniin positive (Fernandez) reactors' only two-lepromin negative contacts developed leprosy. Out of the 46 children who developed leprosy, there were only two who had a 3 + late lepromin reaction (Mitsuda). Four contacts who developed borderline leprosy were negative for late lepromin reaction (Mitsuda). Amongst 135 non-contacts, only 15 children had a positive early lepromin respone whereas 90. had a positive late reaction. There was a significant disagreement between the positive earlylepromin response and the late reaction. Late lepromin reaction may be an index of protective immunity whereas the early reaction, which indicates, delayed hypersensitivity is not.