| Popis: |
Six of 458 patients with active tuberculosis were anergic by skin test at the time of diagnosis. In 5, no cause for anergy could be identified. All 5 had precipitating antibodies to tuberculoprotein; and their lymphocytes responded poorly in culture to phytohemagglutinin and not at all to tuberculoprotein. During treatment, humoral antibody titers dropped, skin tests became positive, and lymphocyte reactivity in culture approached that of positive control subjects. The response of lymphocytes from patients with active tuberculosis and positive skin tests also increased with treatment, suggesting the existence of a general depression of cell-mediated immunity in active tuberculosis. |
