01797nas a2200361   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653000900065653001200074653002100086653001600107653001200123653002100135653001700156653001100173653003000184653001200214653001600226653001500242653001000257653001800267100001200285700001700297700001700314700001300331700001300344245007400357300001000431490000600441520097400447022001401421       1974                            d  c1974 Feb10aAdult10aAged10aAnimals10aBlood Cell Count10aClofazimine10aDapsone10aErythema Nodosum10aErythrocytes10aHumans10aImmune Adherence Reaction10aleprosy10aMiddle Aged10aPhenazines10aSheep10aT-Lymphocytes1 aLim S D1 aKiszkiss D F1 aJacobson R R1 aChoi Y S1 aGood R A00aThymus-dependent lymphocytes of peripheral blood in leprosy patients.  a394-90 v93 a<p>Study of the numbers of thymus-derived lymphocytes by the rosette assay (T-RFC) in patients with leprosy reveals that lower than normal numbers of T-RFC are regularly seen in those patients with the active lepromatous form of this disease. Essentially normal numbers of T-RFC were found in inactive lepromatous, borderline, and indeterminate types of leprosy. The lowest percentages and lowest absolute numbers of T-RFC were encountered in patients with lepromatous leprosy resistant to chemotherapy. Patients with lepromatous leprosy complicated by erythema nodosum leprosum show numbers of T-RFC that are more nearly normal than the numbers of T-RFC in patients with uncomplicated lepromatous leprosy. These findings are discussed with respect to the pathogenesis of lepromatous leprosy and the T-RFC deficiency demonstrated in this disease. The possibility that transient defects in T-RFC numbers or function may predispose to lepromatous leprosy is proposed.</p>  a0019-9567