GIANT CELLS AND INCLUSION BODIES IN THE SKIN LESIONS IN LEPROSY

The occurrence of giant cells and the appearance of incluston bodies in the lesions of the skin was examined in 276 cases of leprosy.1) In the tuberculoid type, giant cells were obsered in 22 of 28 cases (78.5 %) in the flourishing stage whereas in the absorption stage, they could not be found. Giant cells were noted in 22 of 180 cases (12%) of the lepromatous type.2) Giant cells were observed in the skin lesions of the reactional stage in 19 of 45 cases of erythema nodosum leprosum, 3 of 4 cases of acute infiltration and 2 cases of acute exacerbation.3) Giants cells which were observed included the typical Langhans type, the foreign body giant cell and the Touton type giant cell. It was noted that development was by clumping and division.4) Examination of the relationship between appearance of giant cells and clinical sym-ptoms showed that the giant cells appeared in the flourishing stage of the tuberculoid and the declining stage of the lepromatous type.5) Inclusion bodies were observed in the giant cells in 9 cases of the lepromatus type and 3 cases of erythema nodosum leprosum but were not observed in the tuberculoid type.6) The inclusion bodies were asteroid in all 12 of the cases and Schaumann body could not be detected.