[Immunological indicators and superoxide dismutase activity in the erythrocytes of patients with viral hepatitis].

The paper is concerned with the measurement of the relative and absolute counts of lymphocytes, T and B lymphocytes (106 patients) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of red blood cells (237 patients) in acute and chronic viral hepatitis (VH). In addition, a study was made of SOD activity of red blood cells in guinea-pigs immunized with bovine serum albumin (BSA). It is shown that SOD activation in red blood cells related to the enzyme induction with superoxide anionic radical was seen both in patients with acute and chronic VH and in guinea-pigs immunized with BSA. The patients with acute and chronic VH demonstrated the reduction of the absolute count of T lymphocytes and the increase of the B lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood together with SOD activation in red blood cells, more remarkable in acute than in chronic VH. The immunological response in VH patients manifested since days 14-20 from the disease onset or its exacerbation which was evidenced by changes in the cooperative interaction of cellular immunity and SOD activity.