Contribution to the study of the immuno-allergic relationship between tuberculosis and leprosy by correlation of the Mantoux and Fernandez reactions

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigative cross-sensitization between tuberculosis and leprosy by correlating the Montoux reaction and the Fernandez or early lepromin reaction. Given this co-sensitization, the material studied would lead to the following observations 1) The Fernandez reaction (FR) should be more frequentely positive among tuberculous patients than in healthy individuals; 2) The frequency of FR positivity shoud be higher in urban than in rural areas, where tuberculinization is usually lower; 3) In healthy person the percentage of FR positivity should be higher among tuberculin-positives than among tuberculin negatives; 4) Among BCG-vaccinated persons, positive FR should be observed more frequentely than in non vaccinated persons, positive FR should be observed more frequently than in non vaccinated control group...