[Elimination of contaminants in a homogenate of nude-mouse footpad experimentally infected with Mycobacterium leprae].

For elimination of contaminants in a homogenate of nude-mouse footpad infected with M.leprae, the pretreatment with trypsin was tested. The results obtained indicated that the final sterile product was satisfactorily obtained, if the pretreatment with trypsin 0.05%, 37 degrees C, 60min to the homogenate was carried out before the treatment with sodium hydroxide 1%, 37 degrees C, 15min. This procedure might contribute to make a suspension of partially purified M.leprae from the infected tissues, because both the treatments with trypsin and sodium hydroxide could eliminate the infected tissues surrounding M.leprae as well as any contaminants, except other mycobacteria, present in a tissue homogenate.