Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections of humans and animals have been associated with altered cell-mediated immunity and enhanced susceptibility to secondary bacterial and fungal infections. In previous experiments, we observed that helper to suppressor lymphocyte (H:S) ratios were reduced during sublethal murine CMV (MCMV) infection. To correlate H:S ratios with T-lymphocyte function, we sublethally infected 3-wk old Balb/c mice with MCMV and measured the response of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) to concanavalin A (Con A). Results indicate that PBL response to Con A was reduced in MCMV infected mice on days 3, 5, 9 and 16, and corresponded to reductions in the H:S ratio. Alterations in H:S ratios preceded changes in lymphocyte function, and both abnormalities correlated closely with recovery of infectious virus from PBL, spleen and bone marrow. These results demonstrate that reduced H:S ratios during acute MCMV infection are accompanied by an impaired response of PBL to Con A. These observations may be relevant to the association between CMV and opportunistic infections in human organ transplant recipients.
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