Essential fatty acids in the plasma phospholipids of patients with leprosy.

Plasma phospholipid essential fatty acids were investigated in 40 patients with leprosy and 40 controls. A significant reduction in linoleic acid was found in the leprosy patients, with an increase in its metabolite dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid. No difference was found between patients with multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy. Patients treated for less than 6 months were found to have low levels of linoleic acid and high levels of dihomo-gamma-linolenic and arachidonic acid compared with patients treated for more than 6 months.