Humoral responses against the 85A and 85B antigens of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in patients with leprosy and tuberculosis.

Immunoglobulin G antibodies against the 85A and 85B components of the Mycobacterium bovis BCG antigen 85 complex separated by isoelectric focusing were investigated in serum samples from 129 patients representing the major forms of leprosy, 111 tuberculous patients, and 153 healthy subjects. For both of the antigens, a higher degree of staining was observed for lepromatous leprosy patients and patients with active tuberculosis than for the other groups. Because sera from some healthy subjects recognized the 85A antigen, we suggest that antigen 85B is the most useful component of the antigen 85 complex for the serodiagnosis of the multibacillary forms of leprosy or of the active forms of tuberculosis.