[Anti-pneumococcal immunity in extra-hospital acute pneumonia in children]

The results of the pulmonological examination, carried out with the use of the indirect immunofluorescence test, of 134 children aged 1 month to 14 years in the course of acute pneumonia are presented. Antibodies to the surface components of Streptococcus pneumoniae cells were detected in the blood of all patients, local humoral immunity prevailing over systemic immunity at the acute period of the disease. Early and intensive formation of antipneumococcal antibodies was shown to occur during the first week of the disease. The lowest and least stable antipneumococcal immunity appeared in acute pneumonia in children during the first 3 years of life, though in one-fourth of these patients high antibody levels were observed. The early use of antibiotic therapy induced the pronounced suppression of the formation of these antibodies. Acute respiratory viral and mycoplasmic infections did not influence on the synthesis of antipneumococcal antibodies during acute pneumonia in children.