Immunological Criteria for Predicting Severe and Complicated Forms of Chickenpox.

O.A Saburova,D.M Sobchak,E.A Mikhailova,A.M Ryumin,T.Yu Butina

doi:10.17691/stm2020.12.4.06

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of mediators of the immune response, cellular immunity, and phagocytic activity in patients with chickenpox with various values of the clinical and laboratory parameters and propose criteria for predicting the severity and complications of the disease.Materials and Methods.The blood levels of pro-inflammatory mediators were evaluated by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies (Protein Contour, Russia).Results.The inflammatory mediators and neutrophil chemiluminescence were studied in patients with either presence or absence of Varicella zoster DNA. We found that in patients with positive viral DNA, the levels of IFN-α and IFN-γ were significantly lower compared to patients with negative DNA results. Thus, complications of chickenpox, in particular secondary viral-bacterial pneumonia, can be predicted based on low (less than double-normal) levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ, induced chemiluminescence, CD16, and CD20. This type of immune response indicates the state of immune deficiency with prevailing suppression of the T-effector and phagocytic mechanisms in these patients.Conclusion.Prognosis of the development of severe and complicated forms of chickenpox can be based on the insufficiently increased (less than two normal values) levels of IL-6 and IFN-γ, induced chemiluminescence, CD16, and CD20. These relatively low levels are indicative of reduced immune response to the infection, which may require additional immune correcting therapy.

Highlights

Herpes viruses, a large family of DNA-containing viruses, are widespread in the human population
We found higher levels of INF-γ in patients with a moderate course of the disease compared to the severe form; spontaneous chemiluminescence (SCL), induced chemiluminescence (ICL), IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-α did not significantly differ (Table 1)
At the phase of the study, we looked into the immune parameters in patients with complicated forms of chickenpox

Summary

Introduction

A large family of DNA-containing viruses, are widespread in the human population They are capable of infecting almost all organs and systems, causing a variety of infectious diseases [1,2,3]. Both chickenpox and herpes zoster (these diseases share common biological properties) are caused by Varicella zoster from the Herpesviridae virus family. These virions are shaped as large particles (150– 250 nm in diameter) with their genome — a double-helix linear DNA molecule — encapsulated in a lipid envelope. Ultraviolet radiation, heat, sun rays inactivate the virus in a short time [3,4,5]

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