Fig. 5

Humoral immunity to M. leprae antigens Antibodies against synthetic PGL-I (ND-O-BSA, a synthetic analog of the M. leprae-specific PGL-I) by ELISA. Sera were derived from Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nepal and included endemic controls (EC; ▼), newly diagnosed leprosy patients without reactions (no Rxn;) before (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, at least one month after end of steroids (t = end). Optical density readings were performed using a 1:200 serum dilution. Median values for each group are indicated by horizontal lines. P-values < 0,05 indicate significant differences. The number of individuals per group and the time point are indicated below the x-axis for each site