[Humoral and cell-mediated immunities in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (author's transl)]

Humoral and cell-mediated immunities were studied in 38 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis proved by sputum smears and/or cultures and chest X-rays. Nineteen healthy adults were included as control. The results showed that while the mean numbers of total white blood cell count, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, B-lymphocytes and serum IgG concentration were significantly increased in patients, there was no difference in the mean numbers of lymphocytes, total T-lymphocytes, active T-lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocyteswith Fc and complementreceptor and serum IgA and IgM concentrations between these two groups. These data indicate that the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are able to respond to infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but subtle functional derangement of lymphocytes of patients still can not be ruled out.