RESUMEN
Recently, the importance of interferons as immune modulators has been recognized. Measurement of serum or tissue levels give only a partial picture of interferon activity, since antiviral effects persist after levels become undetectable. Neverthless, serum levels correlate reasonably well with clinical effects. Authors have analyzed the serum interferon levels in 12 patients with varicelIa and 25 with herpes zoster and the results are compared with healthy normal control. The results are as follows. The mean value of serum interferon levels showed no significant difference between patients group with varicella and with herpes zoster (8. 4+8, 5units/ml) and normal healthy control group (6. 2+7. 2 units/ml), 2, The mean value of serum interferon levels showed no significant difference between patients group with varicella (9. 2+7. 8 unit/ml) and normal healthy control group. 3 The mean value of serum interferon levels showed no significant difference between patients group with herpes zoster (8. I+9. 0 units/ml) and normal healthy control group. 4 The mean value of serum interferon levels showed no significant difference between patients group of varicella and those of herpes zoster.