Cell-mediated immunity in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
De-Araujo, A.C.
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research 20(5): 579-582
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0100-879X PMID: 3452448 Document Number: 302913
The present study evaluates the in vitro cellular immunity response in cases of suspected Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The immunological features of 111 patients were correlated with those from eleven healthy controls. Patients were divided into three groups: RISK, LAS/ARC and AIDS, using CDC criteria. The AIDS showed leucopenia, lymphopenia, diminished number of T and B lymphocytes, normal number of thermostable E-rosette forming cells (TE), decreased helper-inducer T cell, elevated suppressor-cytotoxic T cell, reversed helper T cell/suppressor T cell ratio and depressed proliferative response using mitogens like phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin-A (Con-A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and purified protein derivative antigen (PPD). These findings confirm a severe deficiency in cellular immunity and permit to establish an immune cellular profile, characteristic of the AIDS patients.