Antigenic similarity of a cultivable acid fast bacterium to Mycobacterium leprae.

A cultivable acid fast stainable bacterium obtained from leprosy nodule showed similarity to M. leprae in antigenicity to serum antibodies of lepromatous leprosy patients. The antigenic similarity has been seen more clearly in the delipidified cell components of both these bacteria. An antigen of 35-38 kDa has been seen as a common antigen between M. leprae and the cultivable bacilli with binding ability to sera from leprosy patients. This cultivable bacterial component could be used for serodiagnosis of lepromatous leprosy.