thymosin and Respiratory-Tract-Infections

The in vivo effect of thymus factor X (TFX) on the E-rosetting capacity, the absolute peripheral blood lymphocytes and T-cell number per microliter, the skin test reactivity to recall antigens, and the immunoglobulin production was evaluated in 20 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The in vitro effect of TFX was also tested. The mean percentage of E-rosettes in these patients increased from 50 to 64%. Although absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte and T-cell number per microliter rose significantly, the mean values did not reach those in healthy children. The tests with recall antigens were positive in 13% of patients prior to immunotherapy and 32% following the therapy. The influence of immunotherapy on infectious episodes and on the stabilisation of remission was also evaluated. TFX in vivo appears to restore immunocompetence, decrease infections, and prolong remissions in children with ALL in remission.

Topics: Adolescent; Antigens, Viral; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Immunotherapy; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Leukocyte Count; Male; Mumps virus; Respiratory Tract Infections; Rosette Formation; Skin Tests; T-Lymphocytes; Thymosin; Thymus Gland; Tissue Extracts

Topics: Albuterol; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Aspirin; Bacterial Infections; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Infant; Respiratory Therapy; Respiratory Tract Infections; Thymosin; Transfer Factor; Ultraviolet Therapy; Virus Diseases

Topics: Adult; Agammaglobulinemia; Ataxia Telangiectasia; Child; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Histocompatibility Antigens; Humans; Immune Adherence Reaction; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; Infant; Liver; Mosaicism; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; Parathyroid Glands; Respiratory Tract Infections; Spleen; Syndrome; T-Lymphocytes; Thymosin; Thymus Extracts; Thymus Gland; Tissue Extracts; Transplantation, Homologous; Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome