The effect of low-level ozone concentrations on the serum levels of immunoglobulins, alpha-1-antitrypsin and transferrin and on the activation of peripheral lymphocytes.

Long-term exposure (2--9 years) to ozone levels exceeding the Czechoslovak value of mean maximum allowable concentration (0.1 mg . m-3) turned out to induce changes in the exposed persons which can be characterized as initial immune disorders. Higher levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, alpha-1-antitrypsin and transferrin detected in comparison to the reference value in the group of ozone-exposed persons and significantly increased alpha-1-antitrypsin and transferrin levels in comparison to the control group of ore miners can be interpreted as a result of changed adaptation mechanisms in the organism. Analysis of the distribution pattern of the frequency of IgA and IgG changes exceeding the standard deviation shows that the group of ozone-exposed subjects exhibits a higher frequency of these changes than the control group of ore miners. However, the concurrently compared relative numbers of increases and decreases in both groups seem to indicate a considerable interindividual variability in the indicators studied.