IgG and IgM antibodies immunoreacting with a 2,3-diacyl trehalose-2'-sulphate in sera from leprosy patients.

The distribution of IgG and IgM antibodies immunoreacting with the sulpholipid I (SLI) and sulpholipid IV (SLIV) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was examined in sera from leprosy patients. It was found that the immunological reactions correlated with the clinical spectrum of leprosy; and in multibacillary patients, antibody titres declined in response to successful treatment. The serological patterns were similar to the PGL I patterns, however, the IgG responses towards the sulpholipids were predominant over the IgM responses in the case of the sulpholipid antigens.