Antimycobacterial antibodies in diffuse lepromatous leprosy detected by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

By using the counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) technic it was possible to demonstrate the presence of antimycobacterial antibodies in the sera of patients suffering from lepromatous leprosy. The antigen was prepared from isolated Mycobacterium lepraemurium. The technic was more reliable and quicker than Ouchterlony's classical double diffusion in gel. Clinical application of the method is therefore recommended.