Defective monocyte chemotaxis in active lepromatous leprosy.

This study of monocyte chemotaxis in leprosy patients showed a significant inverse correlation (p less than 0.05) of chemotaxis and the bacterial index (BI) (N = 22). In addition, there was a significant inverse correlation (p less than 0.05) between chemotaxis and the serum levels of anti-phenolic glycolipid-I IgM antibodies (N = 20). Patients taking thalidomide who had a BI greater than or equal to 1 had a significantly greater (p less than 0.001) chemotaxis response than that of patients with the same BI who were not taking thalidomide. No significant decrease in chemotaxis of monocytes from healthy donors was observed when the cells were pre-incubated with serum from 18 leprosy patients. We conclude that monocytes from patients with active lepromatous leprosy not receiving thalidomide have an intrinsic abnormality when assessed by chemotaxis.