Delayed hypersensitivity skin and leukocyte migration inhibition tests in chronic liver disease

ABSTRACT

Cell mediated immunity was evaluated in 30 patients with chronic liver disease and 10 healthy controls The patients were 14 with chronic active hepatitis or active cirrhosis, 9 with bilharzial hepatic fibrosis 4 with liver cirrhosis of mixed etiology and 3 with primary liver cell carcinoma. Delayed hypersensitivity skin test to PPD antigen and leucocyte migration inhibition test was performed. Results indicate that patients with chronic active hepatitis or active cirrhosis, bilharzial hepatic fibrosis and primary liver cell carcinoma exhibit marked depression of cell mediated immunity and also failure to secrete migration inhibition factor