[Immunologic memory in influenza patients according to the blast transformation reaction to specific antigen].

One hundred-sixty patients with the laboratorily confirmed diagnosis of influenza were examined in the study on the capacity of T-and B-lymphocytes to retain immunological memory for influenza infection by the method of lymphocyte blast-cell transformation (LBT). The studies were carried out in the epidemic periods of influenza A2, A1, and B at various stages of the disease and convalescence. The LBT test was positive in 21--70% of tests depending on the time after the onset. Memory cells were detectable as early as by the end of the 1st week of the disease. The optimal results were found within 2--4 months after the disease. Early in the disease LBT was detected mostly in influenza A2, less frequently in influenza A1 and was practically absent in influenza B. The specificity of reaction in response to the stimulation with influenza A2 and B viruses was demonstrated. The accompanying bacterial pneumonia, a severe course of the disease, concurrent other viral infections did not prevent immunological memory formation.