title: Partial suppression of cell mediated immunity in chromoblastomycosis.
abstract: The cellular immune response of 8 patients from the Brazilian Amazon region with chromoblastomycosis was analyzed. Primary immunological responses of patients were tested by contact sensitization to 2,4-dinitro-chlorobenzene (DNCB), or rejection of first set skin allografts. 2 of 8 patients were reactive to DNCB after sensitization, and skin allograft rejection occurred in an average of 14 days. Capacity of patients to mount recall immunological responses was measured by skin testing with two fungal antigens and three bacterial antigens. Delayed skin reaction to trichophytin and candida antigens was negative in the majority of the patients. However, reactivity to mycobacterial (tuberculin), and bacterial (staphylococcal, streptococcal) antigen was high, or only slightly diminished respectively. The data suggest that patients with chromoblastomycosis have suppressed nonspecific, cell mediated immunity for some antigens (skin allografts, DNCB, fungal antigens), while reactivity to bacterial and mycobacterial antigens is not impaired.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum der Dermatologie und Venerologie, Abteilung II, Klinikum der Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pecher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000502:physiology; D002862:Chromoblastomycosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene