Multiple skin testing in leprosy

Abstract

Groups of patients with lepromatous and tuberculoid leprosy and hospital staff from six leprosaria in East Africa and 'non-contact' groups of villagers or staff from general hospitals have been skin tested with 10 reagents. These were prepared by ultrasonic disintegration from M. tuberculosis, M. duvalii, M. chelonei and 7 other species identified in the Ugandan environment. Comparisons were made of the percentages of positive reactors in each study group for each reagent. The 'specific' defect of lepromatous patients was found to apply to a variable extent to six of the species tested, but not to M. tuberculosis, M. avium or M. 'A'. The defect applied most noticeably to M. nonchromogenicum and M. vaccae, suggesting that they are more closely related to M. leprae than are the other species tested. The reagent Chelonin produced unexpected and anomalous results in the lepromatous group. It is suggested that this was due to an unusually slow clearing of Arthus' reaction.

Multiple skin testing of Kenyan schoolchildren with a series of new tuberculins

“…The skin test antigens used in this study were the same as those used in a previous study (Paul et al 1975) with the addition of Neoaurumin. With the exception of M. tuberculosis, M. duvalii and M. chelonei, all the mycobacteria used for the preparation of these skin test reagents were isolated from the Ugandan environment (Stanford & Paul, 1973); seven of these were of named species and one was of a new slow growing species referred to as M. 'A*'.…”

“…The preparation of these skin test reagents has been described previously (Paul et al 1975). The diluted antigenic preparations (2,ug.…”

“…Another is to measure the amount of sensitization of populations to skin test reagents prepared from environmental mycobacteria (Ogunbi, 1969;Edwards et al 1969; Pinto, Arseculeratne, Uragoda & Hemawardene, 20-2 1972). A third is through the study of the reactions of patients with mycobacterial diseases (Pinto, Arseculeratne & Welianga, 1973;Pinto, Arseculeratne, Uragoda & Hemawardene, 1973;Stanford, Revill, Gunthorpe & Grange, 1975;Paul, Stanford & Carswell, 1975), and a fourth is through studies of susceptibility of animals to experimental infections. Most such studies have been limited by the use of bacterial isolation techniques that are inadvertently selective for certain species or by the use of P.P.D.s with specificities too low to be of value.…”

“…A series of new skin test reagents that have seemed remarkably specific in our previous studies are employed (Pritchard, Stanford & Paul, 1974;Stanford et al 1975;Paul et al, 1975).…”

The immunological consequences of challenge with bovine tubercle bacilli in badgers (Meles meles)

“…The substrate used was 2,2-azino-D(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulphonic acid) and hydrogen peroxide. The antigens used were New Tuberculin (NT), Aviumin-B (AB) and Vaccin (V) prepared from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium immunodiffusion type B and M. vaccae respectively, according to Paul, Stanford & Carswell (1975). Purified protein derivative (PPD) from bovine tubercle bacilli was supplied by the Biological Products and Standards Department, Central Veterinary Laboratory, Weybridge.…”