EXPRESSION AND CYTOKINE SECRETION IN THE STATES OF IMMUNE REACTIVATION IN LEPROSY

Leprosy is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by Mycobacterium lepr ae. The human response to this pathogen exhibits intriguing aspects wh ich are up to now not well understood. The present study discusses the probable mechanisms involved in T cell-specific unresponsiveness obse rved in lepromatous patients. Analysis of the cytokine profile either in blood leukocytes or in skin specimens taken from leprosy lesions in dicates that some parameters of Th1 immune response are present in lep romatous patients under reactional states.