Humoral immune responses were studied in 24
leprosy patients treated with multidrug
therapy (MDT) and 16 contacts. The patients were monitored for 2 to 3 years with repeated determination of
IgG antibody levels directed to different mycobacterial
proteins (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mt70; M. bovis, Mb65; M. leprae, Ml36, 28, 18, 10 kDa, and the complete
protein M. leprae extract, MLSA). All recombinant
antigens were used at 5 micrograms/ml concentration and the complete soluble M. leprae extract at 2 micrograms/ml. The results shown in this study reveal a clear decline in
IgG antibodies directed toward mycobacterial
proteins in the 12 multibacillary (MB) patients when they were submitted to MDT. Initially we found strong reactivity toward complete cytosolic
protein and M. leprae
membrane protein. The most reactive
recombinant proteins in MB patients were Ml10, Ml36, Mt70 kDa and, finally, Ml18 kDa when compared to the paucibacillary (PB) group.
After treatment was completed all lepromatous and
borderline lepromatous patients showed low or undetectable levels as compared with their initial values before starting treatment.