DIMINISHED T-LYMPHOCYTE PROLIFERATIVE RESPONSE TO POLYCLONAL MITOGENSIN ACUTE BRUCELLOSIS PATIENTS

T lymphocytes from 21 untreated patients with acute brucellosis were t ested for their proliferative response to polyclonal mitogens. The pur ified T lymphocytes from these patients showed a defective proliferati ve response to plant lectins and anti CD3 monoclonal antibodies with r espect to the response observed in T lymphocytes from 21 healthy contr ols (p < 0.05). This defective proliferative response was not correcte d by the exogenous addition of interleukin-2 or tumor necrosis factors alpha or beta to the culture medium. After antibiotic therapy, the pr oliferative response to the mitogens in T lymphocytes was found to be similar to that of the healthy controls (p > 0.05), and significantly higher than that found before treatment (p < 0.05). It was concluded t hat T lymphocytes from acute brucellosis patients have a defective pro liferative response to membrane mitogenic signals, which disappears wh en the patients are cured after antibiotic treatment.