Teased fibre study of early nerve lesions in leprosy and in contacts, with electrophysiological correlates.

A teased fibre technique was used to study 19 biopsies of the index finger branch of the radial cutaneous nerve of leprosy patients and contacts. These were compared with four normal nerves. Five nerves were from patients with preclinical nerve lesions, five from leprosy patients with minimal sensory nerve impairment, and five from contacts of lepromatous leprosy. The extent of demyelination in preclinical nerve lesions in leprosy and in contacts of leprosy is recorded. The usefulness of nerve conduction velocity studies in early leprosy patients and in contacts is discussed.