01161nas a2200193   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001300055653001100068653002100079653001200100653002400112100001500136245004800151300001100199490000700210520073600217022001400953       1989                            d  c1989 Jul10aEpitopes10aHumans10aImmunity, Innate10aleprosy10aVaccines, Synthetic1 aWatson J D00aLeprosy: understanding protective immunity.  a218-210 v103 a<p>Analyses of these recombinant proteins as antigens represent the beginning of understanding the chemical nature of epitopes of M. leprae. Their role in protective immunity remains to be elucidated. The available models for analysing protective immunity include infection with M. leprae in the mouse footpad, in immuno-deficient mice, in armadillos and certain susceptible primates. None is completely satisfactory and only the mouse footpad has been applied to assess the protective efficacy of individual antigens. The workshop emphasized that the gulf between understanding immunogenicity and protective immunity is wide. Bridging this gulf is essential for the rational design of a new generation vaccine against leprosy.</p>  a0167-5699