The behavior of T and B lymphocyte subpopulations in infectious and atopic bronchial asthma.

In 40 patients with infectious bronchial asthma and in 40 patients with atopic form of the disease, the behavior of T and B lymphocyte populations was studied by the E and EAC rosette tests. The control group consisted of 20 students unaffected by allergic diseases. A significant decrease in the percentage of E rosette forming T lymphocytes was found in the group of patients with atopic bronchial asthma, as compared with the control and infectious bronchial asthma groups (p less than 0.001). The proportions of EAC forming B lymphocytes showed no significant differences in all groups under examination.