Peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with herpes genitalis

Peripheral blood samples from 52 women including 16 with herpes genitalis and 36 healthy persons were studied to enumerate subpopulations of lymphocytes. T lymphocyte counts were done by SRBC rosette tests and B lymphocytes by immunobead rosette tests using antibody-coated polyacrylamide beads. It was found that the mean percentage of "active T lymphocytes was significantly less in the patients with herpes genitalis than in the controls (herpes genitalis; 13.9 +/- 6.8%, controls; 25.0 +/- 8.3%, p less than 0.001). No difference was noted in the percentage of "total" T lymphocytes, "total" B lymphocytes and subsets of B lymphocytes (IgG-, IgA- and IgM-bearing lymphocytes) between the patients and controls. The present findings suggest that cell-mediated immune function associated with "active" T lymphocytes is suppressed in patients with herpes genitalis.