[Immunologic characteristics of bronchial asthma developing as a result of influenza infection]

The patients with atopic and non-atopic bronchial asthma (BA) provoked by influenzal infection and subjects with influenza were examined for immunity by detection of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations with monoclonal antibodies, by study of the cell-mediated immunity with lymphocyte blast transformation, and by investigation of total and allergen-specific (antiinfluenzal) IgE. It has been established that atopic bronchial asthma formed with influenza participation is a typical allergic disease based on allergo-immunologic disorders characteristic of atopic diseases. Non-atopic bronchial asthma provoked by influenza is mainly formed as a result of secondary immune disorders more characteristic of an infection-dependent pathology. The unfavourable effect of influenzal infection on IgE regulation entails excess production of serum IgE and formation of antiinfluenzal reagins in patients with atopic diseases.