[Effect of treatment with autologous staphylococcal vaccine on the course of the immunologic process]

In 18 patients with furunculosis and in 9 with chronic inflammation of upper respiratory tract, some cellular immunity parameters were tested. These were: phagocytosis index and bactericidal activity against leukocytes. Humoral immunity was also investigated by measurement of serum gammaglobulins. All test were performed before treatment and 30 days after application of the last dose of autologous vaccine. In 12 patients with furunculosis, improvement of the clinical status (disappearance of furunculosis) was appearing together with an increase of phagocytosis index and bactericidal activity of leukocytes without changes in gamma-globulin levels. No such changes were found in remaining patients in whom no clinical improvement was found. The authors suggest that cellular immunity factors studied in this investigation permit for evaluation of the immunity status in patients receiving autologous staphylococcal vaccine.