Immunosuppression and cellular immunity reactions in leprosy patients treated with a mixture of Mycobacterium leprae and BCG.

Suppressor reactivity was studied in a group of leprosy patients before and after immunotherapy with a mixture of Mycobacterium leprae and BCG. The treatment increases the responses in lymphocyte transformation tests to levels which are comparable to those observed in BT-TT patients and reduces suppressor activity. The soluble extract of M. leprae appears to be more sensitive than purified intact bacilli in the lymphocyte transformation tests, but this preparation did not induce suppressor reactivity with the regularity observed when using a Dharmendra preparation.