[Some aspects of morphological manifestations of chronic gastritis in miners]

Morphology was studied together with the condition of the local cell-bound immunity in 24 patients who were not exposed to occupational hazards in their occupations and in 32 miners with a long length of service. The above subjects underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy involving taking of gastrobiopsy specimens. In miners there prevailed chronic atrophic gastritis. Immune mechanisms are involved in its pathogenesis, which fact is evidenced by the lymphoid-and-plasmocellular infiltration of the mucous membrane with a plentiful concentration of plasmatic cells and formation of lymphoid folliculi. They run their course against the background of an apparent lowering of local cellular defence, which event determines progression of chronic atrophic gastritis.