Immunological status of maculoanaesthetic leprosy: leucocyte migration inhibition test as a measure of cell mediated immune response.

M. leprae-specific cell-mediated immune responses were studied in 36 Maculoanaesthetic (MA) leprosy patients using Leucocyte Migration Inhibition Test (LMIT). 21-Tuberculoid, 13-Indeterminate, 16-Borderline, 13-Lepromatous and 20-Healthy controls were also studied for comparison. Highly significant differences (p less than 0.001) in the mean Migratory Indices (M.I.) were found between MA leprosy type and each of the other leprosy type or control group. The results support the concept that MA type forms a distinct form of leprosy from tuberculoid type or any other type of leprosy.