Immunotherapy for leprosy and tuberculosis

摘要: Prior to the development of effective chemotherapy for tuberculosis and leprosy, only approach active treatment these diseases was enhance patients’ own immunity. Attempts accomplish this were an obvious goal once infectious nature became appreciated from work Villemin in 1870’s. The observations that many persons close contact with either leprosy or did not develop disease, disease followed a very chronic course considerable proportion patients, others overcame their showed potential such approach. It is often forgotten prior 1940’s discovery streptomycin as 50% patients clinically manifest actually recovered. proclivity toward natural recovery has made assessment early methods so difficult, there claims treatments probably depended on case selection “efficacy”. earliest attempts at planned immunotherapy may have been Paris, but first person claim real success, experimental support claims, Robert Koch [1].