Dynamic variation and significance of immune function of children with severe hand foot and mouth disease

Abstract

Objective To observe and analyze the dynamic variations of immune function of children with hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) from ordinary to severe. Methods The level of immune globulin (IgG, IgA, IgM)and T lymphocyte subgroup(CD3, CD4, CD4/CD8) of 20 children patients with HFMD from normal to severe were determined, and 20 healthy children were used as control, and their dynamic variation of the immune function were compared. Results The IgG, IgA and IgM of normal group of the children patients with HFMD were significantly lower than those of the control group (P＜0.05), and the CD4/CD8 was also decreased significantly, but the CD8 was significantly increased (P＜0.05), and the CD3, CD4 did not vary significantly. Compared to the severe group, the IgA, CD3, CD4, CD4/CDg of HFMD normal group were significantly decreased, but the CD8 was significantly increased (P＜0.05), and the IgG, IgM did not change significantly. Conclusion The immune function of children patients with normal HFMD mainly declined in humoral immunity and the cellular immunity didn t change significantly. And if the HFMD became severe, the main signs were the cellular immunity changes such as the decrease of the CD3, CD4, CD4/CD8, and the increase of the CD8 It suggested that the disorder of the cellular immunity was one of the main factors leading to the severe HFMD, which has some clinical meaning in identification of the normal and severe cases. Key words: Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD); Children; Severe; Immunity