Alterations in Immune Responsiveness in Acute Measles and Chronic Post-Measles Chest Disease

Abstract

Immune responses in 24 children with acute measles (AM) were compared with those in 20 children who had chronic pulmonary complications (CPMC) following measles. The immuno-suppressive effects of acute measles were extensive: total white cells were reduced and this reduction was accounted for entirely by lymphopenia which was equally expressed among the major lymphocyte sub-populations studied; the function of ‘T’ cells, assessed by radio-isotope incorporation into phytohaemagglutin (PHA) transformed lymphocytes and delayed skin hypersensitivity (DHR) to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), was depressed. Serum IgA was reduced in AM patients. In contrast there was a relative sparing of the measured indices of immunity in patients with chronic post-measles chest disease, with the major defect being an impaired DHR to DNCB. There were minor alterations of complement components in both groups of patients.

Immunological events in acute measles influencing outcome.

“…There is extensive immunosuppression during acute measles (Coovadia et al, 1978) and elements of this persist for periods varying from 6 (Starr and Berkovich, 1964) to 52 weeks (Kipps et al, 1966). In children with the late pulmonary sequelae (Coovadia et al, 1978) and with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) (Valdimarsson et al, 1974), there is a relative sparing of most measured indices of immunity with some subtle immunological abnormalities.…”

“…In children with the late pulmonary sequelae (Coovadia et al, 1978) and with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) (Valdimarsson et al, 1974), there is a relative sparing of most measured indices of immunity with some subtle immunological abnormalities. The sequence of immunological events occurring between paresis in acute severe disease and rehabilitation during chronicity is not understood.…”

Suppression of Delayed Hypersensitivity by Measles Virus Infection in Guinea Pigs

“…The transient unresponsiveness of measles patients to the tuberculin skin test, so-called tuberculin anergy, was first pointed out by von Pirquet (1908). Thereafter, numbers of studies have confirmed measles virus-induced immunosuppression by the demonstrations of skin reactivities to various antigens includ ing tuberculin, candida, vaccinia virus, diphtheria toxoid, poison ivy, and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene during natural measles infection and after vaccination with , live measles vaccine (Blumhardt, Pappano, Jr. and Moyer, 1968;Brody, Overfield and Hammes, 1964;Coovadia et al, 1978;Fireman, Friday and Kumate, 1969;Mellman and Wetton, 1963;Munyer et al, 1975;Zweiman et al, 1971). Marked decrease in the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes in cluding T, B, and null cells occurs during natural measles , as well.…”

Cell-Mediated Immunity in Measles Using the Leucocyte Migration Test

“…It has always been an enigma as to why some children with mea sles and not others are prone to tuberculo sis. It has been reported recently that a vig orous cell-mediated immune response is necessary to restrict the spread of tuberculo sis [2], This may be relevant to measles be cause a number of workers using intradermal [3,4], leucocyte migration [5], lymphocyte transformation [6,7] and other tests [8] have investigated the cell-mediated response and some have found it to be impaired dur ing and for a variable period after measles. Nordal et al [5] used measles virus as anti gen in the leucocyte migration test and won dered whether measles-virus-induced migra tion inhibition was an immunologically un specific phenomenon.…”