ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of CD95 and special marker for activation of peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and its significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunofluorescent two-color flow cytometry was used to study the expression of CD95 and HLA-DR on lymphocytes in 58 patients with HFMD and 34 normal controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Expression of CD3+ T cells was significantly lower in patients (63.82 +/- 7.74)% than that in controls (P < 0.001), meanwhile the expression of CD4+ T cells was (34.29 +/- 7.33)%, significantly lower than that of the controls (P < 0.005). The percentage of lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR in patients was (23.77 +/- 5.78)%, significantly higher than that of the controls (P < 0.005). Significant difference was observed in the expression of HLA- DR on CD8+ T cells in patients (1.34 +/- 1.12)% as compared with controls (P < 0.005). No significant difference in the expression of CD95 on lymphocytes was observed between patients and the controls (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The findings support that cellular immunodeficiency exists in patients and that lymphocytes were abnormally activated in the patients. The activation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in patients mainly involves CD8 subset and it may play an important role in the immune response to antiviral infection.</p>