Absence of inhibitory effect of leprosy sera upon normal E rosetting.

Inhibitory serum factors in certain infectious diseases (leprosy, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis) and malignant conditions (Hodgkin's disease, primary intracranial neoplasms) are said to be partially responsible for decreased cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and consequent anergy. The immunologic derangement in leprosy is not yet completely understood. In order to determine the effect of sera from patients with leprosy upon the rosetting capacity of normal T. lymphocytes, sera from untreated lepromatous (L) and tuberculoid (T) patients were studied. Control sera were obtained from normal volunteers and from patients with other dermatologic conditions (contact dermatitis and leg ulcer). The data indicated that test sera did not inhibit either spontaneous E rosette formation or active rosetting of normal lymphocytes.