title: T cell subsets in children with mumps meningitis.
abstract: Nineteen children with mumps meningitis were investigated. Peripheral blood T cell subset function and number were tested during the acute phase of meningitis and again when the children recovered. No significant difference in the total number of T cells, or T helper: suppressor lymphocyte cell ratio was found in the children with mumps meningitis as compared with the controls. However, a significant increase in the number of T suppressor/cytotoxic cells in the peripheral blood of children with mumps meningitis in the acute phase was found. This increase in the T suppressor subset was still present even after the children recovered from the disease. Two children who showed deafness had the highest increases in the T suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocyte subset. Functional analysis of T suppressor cell activity demonstrated a significant suppressive activity of lymphocytes obtained during the acute phase of the disease. However, after recovery the suppressive activity found was not significant (P greater than or equal to 0.1).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Immunology, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Danon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garty
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shohat
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D009107:Mumps / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory