01905nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653001200065653001500077653002300092653001100115653001100126653001200137653002600149653001600175653000900191653002500200653001600225100001300241700001600254700001200270245011700282300000900399490000700408520117400415022001401589       1987                            d  c1987 Mar10aAdult10aAnimals10aArmadillos10aBacterial Vaccines10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aLymphocyte Activation10aLymphocytes10aMale10aMycobacterium leprae10aVaccination1 aGill H K1 aMustafa A S1 aGodal T00aIn vitro proliferation of lymphocytes from human volunteers vaccinated with armadillo-derived, killed M. leprae.  a30-50 v553 a<p>A killed, armadillo-derived Mycobacterium leprae vaccine was examined for its ability to induce cell-mediated responsiveness in purified protein derivative (PPD)-positive volunteers residing in a nonendemic country using the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT). A marked increase in the proliferative responses to a M. leprae-soluble antigen preparation was observed in the two groups which were vaccinated with the highest doses of the vaccine, i.e., 1.5 X 10(8) and 5 X 10(8) bacilli. This increase was observed in both groups 3 months after vaccination, and persisted for the study period of 1 year. The in vitro proliferative responses to whole bacilli, of both armadillo and human origin, showed a similar but smaller increase 3 months after vaccination. Some enhancement of responses to cross-reactive antigens, such as PPD, and to unrelated antigens such as streptokinase-streptodornase, tetanus toxoid and diphtheria toxoid, was also observed. Thus, the LTT revealed that while the killed M. leprae vaccine induced a specific cell-mediated response to M. leprae, it was also responsible for a nonspecific immune-enhancement effect in healthy volunteers.</p>  a0148-916X