[Secondary immunologic deficiency states in acute viral infections in children]

Having determined in the time course of the disease the percentage and absolute numbers of T- (according to Bach) and B-(according to Mendes) lymphocytes the authors concluded that there was a secondary immunosuppression in the active stage of the process in three infections: acute viral hepatitis, acute respiratory viral infections and epidemic mumps. In patients with these diseases the percentage of T-lymphocytes decreased. The absolute number of T-cells decreased considerably in patients with moderately severe forms of viral hepatitis, with acute respiratory viral infections as well as with epidemic mumps in the presence of neurotoxicity or the involvement of the central nervous system. The amount of B-lymphocytes increased in patients with respiratory viral infections and epidemic mumps but did not differ from physiological norm in viral hepatitis. The immune response of the patients was restored with the decline of the activity of the pathological process.