Lepromine Test

Lepromine (mitsuda) test is a test that is used to determine the presence of tuberculosis in a person's body. It is based on the body’s reaction to the introduction of a special substance - lepromin (or mitsuda).

The lepromine test was developed by Japanese scientist Kihara Mitsuda in 1941. It was the first reaction that made it possible to diagnose tuberculosis at an early stage. Currently, the lepromin test is one of the most common methods for diagnosing tuberculosis.

To conduct a lepromine test, a small amount of lepromine substance is injected intradermally into the patient. After a few days, a papule appears at the site of injection of the substance - redness and swelling, which can range in size from several millimeters to several centimeters. If the patient has tuberculosis, a blister or ulcer may appear in place of the papule.

The lepromin test can be performed both in inpatient and outpatient settings. It usually does not cause any side effects and is well tolerated by patients.

Despite the high accuracy and efficiency of the lepromin test, it is not recommended to be used as the only method for diagnosing tuberculosis, as it can give false-positive results. Therefore, the lepromin test is usually combined with other diagnostic methods, such as X-ray of the lungs, sputum analysis and others.