Quantitative characteristics of the T- and B-systems of immunity in healthy persons of different age groups]

The authors carried out a complex immunomorphological study of the peripheral blood lymphocytes in 160 healthy persons of different age groups. The tests of spontaneous and complementary rosette formation of lymphocyte blasttransformation with PHA were used, assessing it by the H3-thymidine incorporation, lymphocyte straining by Coon's direct and indirect methods for detection of surface immunoglobulin receptors; G, A, and M immunoglobulins blood serum content was studied by Mancini's method. Mean indices characterizing the T- and B-populations of lymphocytes in persons of different age were calculated on the basis of these studies.     

Significance of persons with different blood groups in the influenza type A epidemic process

To study the susceptibility of persons with different blood groups to influenza A, the presence of infection in a group of young children placed under constant observation for 6 years (1974-1980) and in a group of donors observed during 1979-1980 was studied in different epidemic situations. The susceptibility of the persons under observation to type A influenza viruses was shown to depend both on the blood group of the subjects and on the properties of circulating viruses. Persons with group B (III) blood were more susceptible to the virus at the period when new antigenic variants and serotypes appeared, persons with group O (I) blood were more susceptible to influenza infection at the period of the circulation of virulent strains, while persons with group A (II) blood were more susceptible at the period when less virulent strains circulated. The susceptibility of persons with different blood groups was found to change as changes in the properties of the strains occurred in the process of their circulation.     

The excretion of Shigella antigens in persons recovering from dysentery]

Shigella antigens can be detected in the excreta of convalescents after dysentery for a long time. Most frequently these antigens occur in feces, less frequently in urine and rarely in saliva. According to indirect data, S. flexneri 1-6 antigens can be detected in excreta for a longer period after convalescence than S. sonnei antigens. When antigen indication is used for the diagnosis of dysentery and epidemiological analysis is carried out, one should bear in mind the length of the agent persistence in the body, related to Shigella type.     

Antibodies to iron-regulated proteins of meningococci in blood sera of healthy persons of different age groups

One hundred and twenty individual sera obtained from healthy persons of different age groups were studied for the presence of antibodies to meningococcal iron-regulated proteins (IRP). The study revealed that occurrence of such antibodies in sera under study was IRP nature- and age-dependent. Antibodies to two IRP were found to occur most frequently: 85 kD (TbpB) and 72 kD (FrpB). Antibodies to the former IRP were detected in more than 50% and antibodies to the latter IRP, in more than 90% of sera. This was probably due to the presence of epitopes common with those in protein antigens of some other microorganisms, such as Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae. The occurrence of antibodies to periplasmatic IRP with 34 kD (FbpA) in blood sera varied within the range of 5 to 30%. At the same time the occurrence of antibodies to this protein in the sera under study was age-depended: children until five years exhibited the minimal occurrence (about 5%), while in adults it reached 30%.     

Epidemiology of dysentery in Dagestan]

Analysis of material on bacterial dysentery and other acute intestinal infections morbidity in the Dagestan ASSR for a period of 15 years showed high morbidity level and its variations, with reduction and elevation in individual years, and the leading role played by Shigella flexneri among the causative agents of dysentery. The greatest incidence of dysentery was revealed among children aged under one year and between 1 and 2 years. A high bacterial dysentery incidence was recorded in Dagestan throughout the whole year. However analysis of the seasonal dysentery curve showed the beginning of elevation in July, reaching the maximum in August, and lasting four months with a decline beginning in October. The persisting activity of the water route of dysentery transmission in the Dagestan ASSR requires particular attention to the organization of good-quality water-supply to the population of the republic.     

The immunological shifts in the blood sera of persons inoculated with influenza vaccines]

The dynamics of antihemagglutinin content in blood serum of students inoculated with different types of influenza virus vaccines has been traced out in the process of long-term observation. It is shown that this dynamics depends on the type of used vaccines, method of their introduction and epidemiological situation. It is stated that in the process of annual vaccination the highest titres of antihemagglutinins are observed in twice inoculated patients; after the third vaccination these titres decrease and after four-fold vaccination--they increase again.     

Lactase polymorphism in representatives of different ethnic-territorial groups]

Lactase polymorphism was studied in the native population of West Siberia and also in Buryatia. LAC*R frequency observed is-Khants- 0.8367, Mansi - 0.8660, Nenets - 0.8944, Buryats - 0.6883. The data obtained are considered to be the result of natural selection under traditional historical economical-cultural environment of the ethnic groups in question.     

Clinico-immunological and allergological characteristics of population of the Middle ural

Clinical investigation of immune and allergic state of 633 adult dwellers of the Middle Ural region was carried out. The first (occupational) group consisted of 479 workers of the industrial plant, most of which exposed to negative factors such as radiation, harmful chemical substances and stress. The second (control) group consisted of 154 town-dwellers, who did not work at the industrial plant. Immune state was assessed in 714 people. Clinical symptoms of immune deficiency were found in 67% of the occupational group and in 76% of the control group. Allergic condition and allergic-infection syndrome were common for both groups, the rate of infection syndrome being relatively low. The immune state of the occupational group showed in comparison to control reliable increase in absolute and relative amount of T-lymphocytes, in the ratio CD4+/CD8+ and in the level of serum IgG. It was found also the decrease in the concentration of T-killers, the amount of NK cells and B-lymphocytes, phagocyte activity and the level of serum IgA. It was suggested that regional and ecological peculiarities influence the immune state rather than induce clinical symptoms of immune deficiency.     

Cellular immunity factors in dysentery]

Cellular immune response was studied in 89 adult patients suffering from various clinical forms of acute dysentery, with the use of the lymphocyte blast-cell transformation reaction under the action of a specific antigen (dysenterin) and a nonspecific mitogen (phitohemagglutinin). Functional value of T-lymphocytes proved to be retained in patients with acute dysentery; there was also lymphocyte stimulation by a specific antigen in patients with moderately severe and severe forms of dysentery during the first week of the disease. Specificity of blast-cell transformation of sensitized lymphocytes under the action of dysenterin was shown. Patients with a high percentage of the lymphocyte blast forms displayed a more rapid positive progress of the main clinical indices at the height of the disease than analogous patients with a low blast percentage in the blood. The expediency of using the blast-cell transformation reaction for differential diagnosis and prognosis of moderately severe and severe forms of acute dysentery is discussed.