[Immunological indices of patients with ragweed pollinosis]

A comparative study of local and humoral immunity in patients with increased sensitivity to ragweed pollen and in healthy persons has been carried out. In untreated patients a six-fold increase of the levels of total IgE and specific anti-ragweed IgE-antibodies in the blood sera and secretions has been registered, which corresponds to the 3rd and 4th grade reaction in the enzyme immunoassay; simultaneously, a decrease in the characteristics of immune responsiveness has been observed. As the levels of total IgE and specific IgE-antibodies are of particular diagnostic value in immediate-type allergic diseases, the authors have examined the patients with ragweed pollenosis at the periods of the absence of clinical manifestations and in the exacerbation of the disease during blossoming with pollen formation. During exacerbation the level of immunoglobulins of all classes, specific IgE-antibodies in the blood sera and secretions of patients, as well as some characteristics of immune responsiveness, are higher than in remission, which is indicative of the increased antigenic stimulation of the body and of the developing immune response.