Antibody activity against Mycobacterium leprae antigen 7 during the first year of DDS treatment in lepromatous (BL-LL) leprosy

Abstract

A specific radioimmunoassay was developed for demonstration and quantitation of antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae antigen 7 which cross-react extensively with a similar antigen in many species of mycobacteria, including BCG-antigen-60. The antibody activity against M. leprae antigen 7 showed only a slight tendency to decrease in 15 patients with lepromatous leprosy during their first year of treatment with dapsone associated with marked clinical improvement.