Immunologic aspects of lepromatous leprosy as related to the immunoglobulins of external secretions: salivary immunoglobulins.

A significant reduction in salivary immunoglobulins in lepromatous leprosy is recorded as compared to normal subjects. Saliva of undernourished subjects and patients with oral malignant tumors, which were studied as controls, showed an appreciable rise in IgA levels in both. It is suggested that impairment of T cell function, which is associated with lepromatous leprosy, is not responsible for the observed low level of salivary immunoglobulins in lepromatous leprosy.