Haptoglobin phenotypes in leprosy.

Serum haptoglobin phenotypes were studied in 80 patients with leprosy classified according to the criteria of Ridley and Jopling. The distribution of phenotypes was: 2-2, 65%; 2-1, 27.5%; 1-1, 1.25%; and 0-0, 6.25%. This distribution was not significantly different from the controls except for the phenotype 0-0 (p less than 0.02). Thus, although this genetic marker did not correlate with the occurrence of the variety of disease, it is possible that leprosy caused inhibition of haptoglobin synthesis and therefore an apparent increased frequency of the 0-0 phenotype. Evidence for such a secondary anhaptoglobinemia was available in one case.