[Neutrophil chemotaxis in patients with chronic active hepatitis]

The serum of 18 patients diagnosed as having chronic active hepatitis (CAH) was studied in order to ascertain the neutrophil motility in healthy person serum. The chemotaxis and the chemokinesis induced by the serum of the patients were lower than those obtained using a control serum. When the control serum, activated by zymosan, was added to the patients serum a decrease of chemotaxis was observed. Contrary to this, when activated serum of patients was added to the control serum, there was no alteration of chemotaxis. We concluded that serum of patients affected by CAH have an inhibitor of the motility of neutrophils.