STUDIES OF VACCINATION OF PERSONS IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH LEPROSY PATIENTS IN ARGENTINA

A total of 670 adults living or working with leprosy patients, were ex amined for a BCC vaccination scar; and skin-tested with four new tuber culins. Based on the results 513 were vaccinated 65 with Bacille de Ca lmette et Guerin (BCG) alone, 66 with BCG plus killed Mycobacterium va ccae and 382 with killed M, vaccae alone. Skin-resting was repeated 2- 3 years later on 344 subjects, when all three vaccines were found to h ave been highly successful in increasing responses to Tuberculin and L eprosin A (p<0.0005) with increased immune recognition of common and s pecies-specific antigens, Mean diameters of induration to each skin-te st were greatest in recipients of BCG alone (p<0.05), which suggests t hat better immuno-regulation occurs after receiving vaccines that inco rporate M, vaccae, The results suggest 10(8) M, vaccae alone might pro ve a valuable future vaccine, which would not require selective pre-va ccination procedures. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv ed.