SCE Analysis In Treated And Unteated Leprosy Patients.

Spontaneow sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency was studied in fifteen leprosy patients and twelve age matched controls. The mean SCH/cell was 10.23 + 4.1 in controls. The three untreated patients had mean SCE/cell value of 20.3 + 1.41. Among patients under treatment, five patients in initial stage of disease and treatment duration between one to nine months, the mean SCE/cell value was 29.78 + 4.244. In the seven patients with advanced stage of disease and treatment duration between 20 to 50 months, the mean SCE/cell value was 31.87 + 7.31. The results indicate a clastogenic effect of leprosy on peripheral leucocytes, which was increased due to anti-leprosy treatment.