VIRUS-INDUCED INTERFERON-PRODUCTION IN LEUKOCYTE-CULTURES FROM CHILDREN WITH RECURRENT RESPIRATORY-INFECTIONS - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Background: Lowered yields of virus-induced interferon (IFN) by leukoc yte cultures were previously suggested to be associated with recurrent respiratory infections in children (Pitkaranta et al. (1993) Clin. Di agn. Virol. 1, 101-108) Objectives: To investigate if the observed low ered IFN producing capacity was secondary to the underlying disease an d, consequently, would be normalized after recovery of the child from the chain of infections. Study design: Forty-eight 3-12-year-old child ren suffering from recurrent upper respiratory tract infections (acute otitis media included) were followed-up for 2 years. Their clinical c ondition and virus-induced interferon production in cultures of periph eral blood leukocytes were examined at the beginning and end of this p eriod. Results: In 24 children the health improved strikingly during t he follow-up, in 12 children a mild improvement took place: while 12 c hildren remained constantly ill. IFN yields in cultures stimulated wit h corona- and respiratory syncytial viruses improved along with the cl inical situation of the children. Parallel cultures induced with adeno -, influenza A or rhinoviruses did not show a similar correlation. Con clusion: These results suggest that the relationship between interfero n production by leukocyte cultures and recurrent infections is complex and may be virus-specific.