01478nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001500059653001000074653002800084653001000112653001300122653001700135653001100152653001100163653001200174653000900186100001300195700001400208700001400222700001600236245005100252300001000303490000700313050003200320520081000352022001401162       1991                            d  c1991 Jan-Mar10aAdolescent10aAdult10aBlood Chemical Analysis10aChild10aElements10aErythrocytes10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale1 aFoster R1 aSanchez A1 aFoulkes J1 aCameron L J00aProfile of blood elements in leprosy patients.  a12-330 v63  aInfolep Library - available3 a<p>Blood levels of 40 elements in 14 leprosy patients and 5 control subjects living near Mukinge Hospital in the North Western Province of Zambia were determined by spectrophotometry. In patients, compared to controls, serum levels of titanium, silicon, potassium and platinum were significantly higher; red cell levels of phosphorus were lower but those of antimony, bismuth, nickel, titanium, yttrium, silicon and platinum were higher; and whole blood levels of phosphorus, selenium, antimony and silver were lower. There were also significant differences in levels of certain elements when histologically active and inactive patients were compared and between the polar forms of leprosy. The data are consistent with a hypothesis of metabolic and nutritional involvement in the etiology of leprosy.</p>  a0254-9395