01574nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001200059653002900071653001900100653003100119653001800150653001100168653001200179653000900191653002500200653001200225100002600237700001800263245004200281300001100323490000800334050002400342520091600366022001401282       1995                            d  c1995 Jul-Aug10aAnimals10aAntigen-Antibody Complex10aAutoantibodies10aComplement System Proteins10aCryoglobulins10aHumans10aleprosy10aMice10aMycobacterium leprae10aRabbits1 aCossermelli-Messina W1 aCOSSERMELLI W00aHumoral immunity in Hansen's disease.  a929-340 v113  aCOSSERMELLIMESS19953 a<p>For many years immune response in leprosy has been studied. Since 1960 several reports dealing with humoral immunity have been described in the literature. Different autoantibody rates occur in leprosy. There is an increase in the prevalence of autoantibodies in elderly patients with long standing disease, in lepromatous leprosy and in those with reactional states. The differences in rates among various studies are attributed to different methods and variations among patient samples concerning age, gender, polar forms, therapy and other elements. The prevalence of numerous antibodies, immune complexes, cryoglobulins and complement levels have been studied by many authors. This also highlights the importance of the more recent reviews of anti-Mycobacterium leprae glycolipid antibodies such as the anti-phenolic glycolipid-I antibodies in which titers are variable and depend on genetic factors.</p>  a1516-3180