RESUMO
In chronic virus hepatitis B the causative virus replicates for a long time as manifested by HBsAg persistence. Examinations of 92 sick children revealed changes in cellular and humoral immunity indices. The content of T-lymphocytes (determined according to Bach et al.) was reduced to 31.5 +/- 1.4% in the exacerbation stage (the normal content 50.8 +/- 1.3%), the percentage of O-cells increased, while the number of B-cells according to Mendes et al. did not change significantly. The inhibition of adhesion of A-cells (Halliday et al.--A. F. Blyuger) and "immune" plaque formation (according to A. F. Blyuger) in the presence of HBsAg were also increased maximally in the exacerbation stage. HBs-antigenemia was found to occur most frequently in the exacerbation stage. The content of immunoglobulin G was reduced. An increase in the number of tissue lymphocytes and their blast forms (in the "skin window" sample by Rebuck) was demonstrated. The authors assume that the long-term persistence of HBs-Ag and, consequently, the maintenance of the pathologic process activity are due to a defficiency of cellular immunity factors. The prospects of enhancing cellular immunity in virus hepatitis B in children are discussed.
