Immunological upgrading with combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy in a lepromatous leprosy patient: A case report

Abstract

Immunotherapy with Mycobacterium w was given, in addition to standard multidrug therapy (MDT) to a lepromatous leprosy (LL) patient with a bacteriological index (BI) of 6. After 15 months of treatment this patient attained bacteriological negativity and clinical inactivity. Histopathologically the patient upgraded to borderline-tuberculoid at 12 months, and at 15 months showed features of nonspecific infiltration in the dermis. The rapid immunological upgrading seen in the patient is highlighted in this paper.