01694nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001100051653001100062653003000073653002100103653001200124653000900136653002500145653001500170100001500185700001300200700001500213245011100228300001100339490000700350520106900357022001401426       1987                            d  c198710aFemale10aHumans10aHypersensitivity, Delayed10aImmune Tolerance10aleprosy10aMale10aMycobacterium leprae10aSkin Tests1 aBottasso O1 aPoli H O1 aMorini J C00a[Delayed cutaneous response to different antigens in household contacts of leprosy patients and controls].  a504-100 v153 a<p>The delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to PPD, candidin and histoplasmin, and Mitsuda reaction (MR) in household contacts (HC) of multibacillary (HCM) and paucibacillary (HCP) leprosy patients, and non exposed controls was studied. Intradermal tests with 0.1 ml. of each antigen were performed and read after 48 hours. Late nodular reaction to ML (MR) was evaluated at the 21st day post-challenge. As we had formerly demonstrated, MR was depressed in HCM. Interestingly, this reaction was also depressed in HCP to a lesser magnitude. HCM had a lower DTH response to histoplasmin in relation to PPD and candidin when persons were simultaneously challenged with the three antigens. According to these results we conclude that: a), HCM have a depression in late lepromin reaction; b), in HCP the depression in MR is of a lower magnitude. We hypothesize that in healthy contacts of bacilliferous patients an active mechanism of immunosuppression to mycobacterial antigens may be produced. Alterations in the skin response to histoplasmin is discussed.</p>  a0210-5187