Rapoport, B. L.2018-10-122018-10-121988-12-01https://hdl.handle.net/10539/25765A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Medicine. J o h a n n e s b u r g 1988Infections can cause autoantibody production. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of autoantibodies in chronic mycobacterial infections in Johannesburg. Sera from 41 leprosy patients and from 49 untreated and 73 treated tuberculosis patients were tested for rheumatoid factor, antibodies against a panel of nuclear antigens, anticardiolipin antibodies and syphilis serology. The antinuclear antibody was positive in 7.3% of the leprosy group, 6.1% of the untreated TB group and 15% of the treated tuberculosis patients (p=0.0125). Antinuclear antibody positivity correlated with duration of treatment (p=0.025). The antinuclear antibody titres were low and there was no specific pattern.enAutoantibodiesTuberculosis, PulmonaryLeprosyTuberculosisThesis