Evaluation of indicators of immunity in long and sickly children in primary care

Abstract

The authors have evaluated the immune status, the level of skin sensitivity to tuberculin in long and sickly children in primary care. It is stated that the main cause of frequent and long illness in children and adolescents are a chronic pathology of the naso - and oropharynx and the allergic diseases (bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis). Pathogenetic basis of frequent and long respiratory infections are the changes in an immunological reactivity, i.e. reduction of phagocytosis, disorders of functional activity of T-lymphocytes, the ratio changes of helpers/suppressors, reduction of the level of cytotoxic lymphocytes. These changes are non-specific and mixed involve all parts of the immune system. Tuberculin sensitivity in the majority of children has postvaccinal character. There is anergy on the second or third years after vaccination. Apparently, the low sensitivity is an index of immune reactivity in fre-quently and long ill children and it has a low immune response to BCG vaccination. The group of long and sick-ly children can be considered to the risk of developing tuberculosis.