Background Multidrug therapy (MDT) causes a decrease in the bacterial burden in leprosy patients. Does the decrease in the antigenic stimulation of the immune system have an effect on cytokine production? Methods The effect of treatment on serum cytokines was evaluated in 36 leprosy patients and 35 reactional leprosy patients and compared with that in 20 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to measure serum levels of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), interleukin- ...