[Changes in several immunological parameters and the presence of anti-HTLV III antibodies in drug addicts].

The immunological picture in a group of heroin addicts and in a methadone treated group was evaluated. Ninety-six per cent shows modifications of the lymphocyte pattern, independently of the type of opium derivative administered. The OKT4/OKT8 ratio considered one of the hallmarks of acquired immunodeficiency, turns out to be reduced in 64.6% of the cases. In these latter the most outstanding defect is made up by the T-helper drop (83.8% of cases), limited to 23.5% in the group with normal OKT4/OKT8 ratio. The most significant variant between the two groups is represented by the positivity of anti-HTLV III test, which switches from 47 to 74.1% in the patients with reduced ratio. Immunoglobulins turn out to be increased in 81.2% of the cases, independently of the opium derivative administered and without significant differences in relation to the OKT4/OKT8 ratio. Therefore two immunological patterns seem to coexist in the population studied, which very likely represents two evolutive moments of the same disorder with an earlier phase of hyperimmune condition from a persistent antigenic stimulation which characterizes the situation at risk. In a later phase, the impact of HTLV III infection causes the deletion of the lymphocyte helper subpopulation which elicits the immunodepressive situation.