[Rosette-forming peripheral lymphocytes, in children with measles].

During measles infection in human beings, depression of cellular immunity appears. The authors studied several groups of children with measles complaining of various degrees of malnutrition in terms of rosette forming lymphocytes in peripheral blood; marked reduction of T lymphocytes were seen in all of the groups during the acute stage of the disease, that persisted up to two weeks after the exanthematous stage. When comparison was established of eutrophic and 1st degree malnourished children with those affected with 3rd degree malnutrition, differences were found in the recovery of the number of rosett-E forming cells.