Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease which presently affects more than 15 million individuals. The disease is the result of the interaction between Mycobacterium leprae and the immune system of the infected host, M. leprae by itself being a virtually harmless bacillus. Apparently the majority of individuals exposed to or infected with M. leprae develops effective immunity to M. leprae without disease. A minority, however, may develop a wide range of clinical symptoms, which show striking interindividual variability. This clinical spectrum closely parallels the immunological spectrum of responsiveness displayed by the host [1,2].
Material and financial support was provided via the Immunology of Leprosy (IMMLEP) component of the UNDP/World Bank/WHO special programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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de Vries, R.R.P., Serjeantson, S.W., Layrisse, Z. (1984). Leprosy. In: Albert, E.D., et al. Histocompatibility Testing 1984. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69770-8_120
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69770-8_120
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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