Fig. 4

Longitudinal cross-sectional pattern of IFN-γ and IL-10 secretion. IFN-γ (Fig. 3) or IL-10 (Fig. 4) production (corrected for background values) in response to M. leprae sonicate (10 μg/ml) in 6 day cultures of peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) of endemic controls (EC; ▼), newly diagnosed leprosy patients without reactions (no Rxn;) before treatment (t = 0) and after treatment (t = end) and leprosy patients (•) in the absence of any clinical signs of reactions and at least 3 months before RR (t = 0), at RR diagnosis before steroids (t = x) or after MDT and RR (t = end), at least one month after end of steroids (after RR) in individuals from Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nepal. All patients were assessed for the absence of reactions three months after t = end. Background values were typically < 50 pg/ ml. The number of individuals per group and the time point are indicated below the x-axis for each site