[State of the cellular component of immunity in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis in children]

Abstract

Fourteen children aged 4 to 12 years suffering from subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were observed. Prior to the treatment initiation, cellular immunity was studied in seven children who had been hospitalized over the last three years. An analysis of the findings showed that the patients' peripheral blood displayed the deficit of the total number of T lymphocytes (1.12.10(9)/1 +/- 0.06.10(9)/1) as compared with this value in age-matched healthy children (2.12.10(9)/1 +/- 0.04.10(9)/1) and also the deficit of the subpopulations of "active" and T lymphocyte suppressors; 60.0 +/- 4.1% of the total number of T lymphocytes proved to be poorly receptive compared to 30.6 +/- 2.6% in healthy children. The count of D lymphocytes remained practically unaltered whereas the content of B lymphocytes, macro- and microphages in the peripheral blood exceeded considerably the normal values for a given age. The evidence obtained suggests that patients with SSPE have sufficient indications for directed pharmacological immunocorrection.