[Changes in immunologic and biochemical functions after a mission to a tropical forest]

A biochemical and immunological survey of a selected military group has been performed, before and after a jungle raid. Biochemical (total proteins, albumin, proteins electrophoresis, transferrin, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, orosomucoid, alpha-1 antitrypsin and alpha-2 macroglobin) and immunological (Ig G., Ig A., C 3c, C 4, specific antibodies against Leishmania) analysis of sera have been studied as well as the level of cellular immunity (Multitest scoring, macrophage cytotoxicity, interleukin-1 and prostaglandin E-2, macrophage production). The results show some modifications as a consequence of the work in tropical forest, particularly the tendency to some cellular immunity deficiency. This can be linked to several factors: nutritional balance, cutaneous infections, sustained physical activity and excessive sweating.