Presence of antibodies reacting with a ribonucleoprotein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sera from leprous patients.

Antibodies reacting with a ribonucleoprotein isolated from M. tuberculosis could be found in sera of leprous patients (lepromatous type of disease). The antibody titers are very high. There is a highly significant difference between the titers of leprous patient and tuberculosis patients. This renders our finding important for diagnostic purpose.