Abstract
The spectrum of opportunistic infections seen in HIV disease in children resembles that in adults. Most striking, however, is the role of bacterial infections in pediatric AIDS. Although defective humoral immunity seems to play a significant role in predisposing to bacterial infections, there is no direct correlation between the risk for bacterial infections and poor B cell mitogenic responses or hypergammaglobulinemia (Rubinstein 85), suggesting additional predisposing factors.
We therefore examined polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) functions and complement activity (CH 50) in 17 HIV-infected children (P2A-D) in comparison with 37 children born to HIV infected mothers (PO). Lymphocyte subsets and functions (PWM and tetanus toxoid [TT] induced proliferation) as well as global and specific [7T-Ab] IgG levels were studied in parallel.
Our results confirm the well known quantitative (CD 3, HLA-DR normal; CD 4 decreased; CD 8, act. T-ceils increased) and functional (PWM, TT induced stimulation decreased; IgG increased; TT-Ab decreased) disturbances of lymphocytes in HIV-infected children. In addition, PMNL of the P2A-D group show a reduced chemiluminescence to zymosan (p<0,05). No significant differences were observed in PMA induced chemiluminescence or CH 50 in the two groups.
From our data we conclude, that in HIV-infected children a reduced PMNL responsivness might contribute to a increased risk for bacterial infections.
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Remy, N., Mielke, M., Grosch-Wörner, I. et al. 104 GRANULOCTYE, COMPLEMENT- AND LYMPHOCYTE-FUNCTIONS IN HIV-INFECTED CHILDREN. Pediatr Res 28, 294 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199009000-00128
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199009000-00128
