Electrophoresis and immuno electrophoresis in leprosy.

50 cases of leprosy belonging to various subgroups i.e. 10 tuberculoid, 25 lepromatous leprosy, 10 lepra reaction, 5 dimorphic leprosy, and 25 cases or normal individuals were subjected to agar gel electrophoresis. The slides were scanned by densitometry. It showed profound departure from normal in various fractions of electrophoretic patterns. All of them showed rise of gamma globulin. Albumin was markedly decreased in lepromotous leprosy and lepra reaction. In dimorphic leprosy Alfa-1 was decreased. Qualitative immuno electrophoresis was done by using antihuman serum raised in the laboratory, by immunising rabbits. It revealed changes in IgM and IgG arcs. Results are discussed and tried to explain on immunological derangement.

Persistence of Australia antigen in leprosy--a frustrating puzzle in immunology.

This paper deals with the relationship of Australia antigen (Au) to various sub-groups of leprosy, in a total of 200 cases. Au was found to be present up to 4% in lepromatous leprosy, 2% in tuberculoid leprosy and lepra reaction, and 3% of antibody in lepromatous leprosy. Presence of antibody denotes past antigenemia. The quantitation of the antigen is done using the new technique of Electro-immuno-diffusion (EID) of Laurell, synonymous with rocket technique. The persistence of the antigen is explained in the light of deranged immunological mechanisms.