A controlled trial of treatment of acquired immunodeficiency in severe measles with thymic humoral factor
Beatty, D.W.; Handzel, Z.T.; Pecht, M.; Ryder, C.R.; Hughes, J.; Mccabe, K.; Trainin, N.
Clinical and Experimental Immunology 56(3): 479-485
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9104 PMID: 6378450 Document Number: 236085
A randomized controlled trial of treatment with thymic humoral factor (THF) in 20 children with severe complicated acute measles infection, resulted in objective benefit as evidenced by improvement in the erthrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and a fall in C-reactive protein, fewer complications and a reduced incidence of secondary herpes infection. An increased ratio of helper to suppressor T cells (OKT4/OKT8 ratio) and a greater lymphocyte transformation response to phytohemagglutinin was seen in those children receiving THF. Evidently, THF treatment helps to prevent the development of complications particularly secondary viral infections possibly by enhancing cell-mediated immune responses.