title: Lymphocyte subpopulations transformation studies in an experimental model of intestinal and hepatic amoebiasis.
abstract: The lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood and blast transformation were studied on days 0, 3, 7, 11, 15, 20 and 35 after infection in progesterone-treated guinea-pigs which had been experimentally infected with Entamoeba histolytica by intracaecal inoculation. In animals with intestinal infection, lowered T cell numbers and blast transformation were seen during the acute phase with a subsequent tendency to recover. In guinea-pigs with hepatic amoebiasis, both these parameters were significantly depressed throughout the period of study with no tendency to recovery. In progesterone-treated and sham-operated animals, a less marked depression of T cells, was observed. The B cell population did not vary greatly in either group. This study has thus shown that in hepatic amoebiasis there is highly significant depression in both number and function of T cells in comparison to intestinal amoebiasis.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000276:immunology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008101:Liver Abscess, Amebic / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology