Effects of chemotherapy on antibody levels directed against PGL-I and 85A and 85B protein antigens in lepromatous patients.

IgG antibodies against antigens 85A and 85B from Mycobacterium bovis BCG, IgM antibodies against phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) and circulating PGL-I antigen were measured in the serum of 11 patients with lepromatous leprosy receiving multidrug therapy (MDT). Before treatment, 6 patients were reactive to antigen 85A, 10 patients to antigen 85B, and 11 patients to PGL-I; circulating PGL-I was detected in the sera of all of them. After 2 years of MDT PGL-I antigen could no longer be detected in all of the patients, except for two who were not compliant with treatment. IgG antibodies directed against the 85A and 85B antigens and IgM antibodies against the PGL-I antigen also decreased significantly during treatment but more slowly. The determination of circulating PGL-I antigen remains the most appropriate tool for monitoring lepromatous leprosy under MDT.