The present study was carried out to investigate the specificity of cell wall antigen of
M. leprae and to access the degree of association in the dermal reactions of leprosy
patients to the cell wall antigens of 10 species of mycobacteria including M. leprae. The
cell wall antigens were prepared from M. leprae, M. kaasnisi, M. vaccas, M. marinum,
M. scrofulaceum, M. tuberculosi, M. fortuium, M. phlei, M. smegmatis, Bacillus Calmette
Guerin by passing 5 timers through a French Pressure Cell Press at 18,000
Ibs/inch2.
The mycobacterial cell wall antigens were injected intradermally on 124 leprosy
patients (77 lepromatous and 47 tuberculoid) and the results of the early (Fernandez)
and the late (Mitsuda) reactions were recorded 72 hours and 28 days later, respectively.
The results were summarized as follows ;
1. The deficiency of the early (Fernandez) and the late (Mitsuda) reactivity in
lepromatous type patients to mycobacterial cell wall antigens was species specific for M.
leprae.
2. The reactivities of lepromatous type patients to cell wall antigens of 10 species of
mycobacteria were generally lower than those of tuberculoid patients.
3. In the early (Fernandez) reaction of 124 leprosy patients to cell walt antigens, M.
leprae showed significant association (p<0.05) with M. kansasii, M. vaccae, M.
smegmatis, M. phlei, M. marinum and M. fortuitum. And in late (Mitsuda) reaction, M.
leprae showed significant association (p<0.05) with M. phlei, M. fortuitum and M.
kansasii. Of the mycobacteria, which showed significant association in the early
(Fernandez) and in the late (Mitsuda) reactions, M. fortuitum showed the highest
sensitivity and M. kansasii the highest specificity.
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