Poor correlation of systemic immunological parameters with clinical features in macular leprosy.

On the basis of clinical features and bacteriological status, macular skin lesions of nine cases of leprosy were classified as falling within a spectrum between the tuberculoid at one end and the lepromatous at the other. While histologic correlation was seen in 60% of cases, humoral and cellular systemic immunologic features were found to be uncharacteristic. It is suggested that macular lesions form an early stage in the development of leprosy where the systemic immunological response is yet to set in fully.