[The outcome of viral hepatitis B and cellular immunity function].

Immunological examination of 158 patients with viral type B hepatitis (VH) was performed over time. Patients with HBsAg elimination for 60 days from the onset of jaundice and a favorable outcome of hepatitis at the height of the process demonstrated a decrease in the relative number of theophylline resistant lymphocytes (T-helpers), a decrease in theophylline sensitive lymphocytes (T-suppressors), an increase in the helper/suppressor (H/S) ratio up to 13.1/1 (the normal ratio being 3.9/1), a certain increase in the number of B-lymphocytes, activation of rosette-forming function of neutrophils, and a tendency to an increase in the activity of natural killer cells (NK). Patients with HBs-antigenemia over 60 days with subsequent convalescence also demonstrated similar changes of immunoregulating T-lymphocyte subpopulations but they developed later in relation to the onset of viral hepatitis. In the formation of chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) there was no decrease in the absolute and relative number of T-suppressors from the onset of disease, the level of T-helpers and the H/S ratio were moderately lowered. Unlike CPH the suppression of the effector link of the immune system (phagocytosis and NK) and a decrease in the level of T-suppressors were noted in the development of chronic active hepatitis in all the periods of the process. The application of the above regularities to prognosis of VH outcomes, the choice and assessment of efficacy of immunocorrective therapy was discussed.