Proliferative response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to Japanese encephalitis virus.

Cell-mediated immune response to Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and its purified envelope (E) protein was measured in 45 laboratory confirmed JE patients using a proliferation assay of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In parallel, JEV-specific IgM antibodies were measured by ELISA. No correlation was observed between the antibody response and results of the lymphocyte proliferation assay. Only 11 of the 42 patients positive in the antibody test were positive in the proliferation assay, and PBMC from 14/45 (31%) patients did not respond to either phytohemagglutinin and to JEV and/or its purified E protein antigen. No correlation was observed between the cell-mediated immune response and the final clinical outcome (fatality vs. recovery).