01142nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653001100080653003300091653001100124653001200135653000900147100001400156700001300170245008500183300000900268490000700277050003200284520057000316022001400886       1978                            d  c1978 Jan10aAdolescent10aAdult10aFemale10aHepatitis B Surface Antigens10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale1 aSaoji A M1 aMene A R00aPersistence of Australia antigen in leprosy--a frustrating puzzle in immunology.  a7-100 v50  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>This paper deals with the relationship of Australia antigen (Au) to various sub-groups of leprosy, in a total of 200 cases. Au was found to be present up to 4% in lepromatous leprosy, 2% in tuberculoid leprosy and lepra reaction, and 3% of antibody in lepromatous leprosy. Presence of antibody denotes past antigenemia. The quantitation of the antigen is done using the new technique of Electro-immuno-diffusion (EID) of Laurell, synonymous with rocket technique. The persistence of the antigen is explained in the light of deranged immunological mechanisms.</p>  a0024-1024