A contribution of cellular immunity to protection against influenza in man

The degree of lymphocyte transformations and leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) in the presence of inactivated A/Scotland/74 (H3N2) influenza virus vaccine was measured in blood samples collected from 56 medical student volunteers. At the same time the volunteers were skin tested, using the same vaccine. Using the antigenically similar WRL 105 (H3N2), recombinant influenza virus, the level of haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies in serum, and neutralizing antibodies in nasal washings collected from the volunteers, were also determined. Each volunteer was then inoculated with live, attenuated WRL 105 influenza virus vaccine and infections demonstrated by virus isolations and serology. Correlations between the ability to infect the volunteers and the various parameters of humoral and cellular immunity were then determined. The results showed a good correlation between the level of serum HI antibody and infection. Thus 16 of 20 volunteers with serum HI antibody titres of 1:10, but only 6 of 20 volunteers with antibody levels of 1:30, showed evidence of infection. No direct correlation was observed between any of the other parameters measured and infection by WRL 105 virus. However, when the LMI and serum HI antibody levels were considered together, a contribution of cellular immunity, as measured by the LMI test, could be found. Of 19 volunteers with low serum HI antibody and low LMI levels, 16 were infected, whereas of 13 volunteers with low HI antibody, but with high LMI levels, only 6 showed evidence of infection with WRL 105 influenza virus.