ABSTRACT
Patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) had higher counts of red blood cells (RBC) with micronuclei. The majority of patients revealed decreased capacity of blood lymphoid cells for DNA repair except those with a 2-wave pattern of the course of disease; in the latter, the DNA repair was significantly higher than in healthy donors. Patients with TBE revealed lower T-lymphocyte counts due to a decrease in the amount of T-helper cells (the level of T-suppressors was elevated). The intensity of antibody production against TBE virus was significantly enhanced by termination of disease in the majority of patients. The count of natural killer cells was decreased, particularly at the initial stage of disease. At the time of admission to hospital the counts of RBC with micronuclei and of T-helper cells were in reverse proportion. At the terminal stage of disease the same correlation was noted between RBC counts with micronuclei and the antibody level. At the onset of disease a direct correlation was noted between DNA repair and B-lymphocyte and T-helper counts. At the final stage of disease the reverse correlation between the activity of DNA-repair systems and T-suppressor counts was registered. Three months after discharge from hospital, the indices of micronuclear test, natural killer cell activity, and DNA repair returned to normal.
