HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSE TO THE RESPIRATOR Y SYNCYTIAL VIRUS (RSV) IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE BRONCHITIS AND PERSISTENT RSV ANTIGENS

Specific humoral immune response has been studied in 8 patients with c hronic obstructive bronchitis, in whom the persistence of RSV was dete cted, and in a group of patients without RSV persistence. Humoral immu nity in patients with RSV persistence vs. those with acute and chronic bronchitis without viral persistence was characterized by the followi ng features: a) earlier and more active production of IgG and, even mo re so, IgM and IgA; b) long persistence of high titers of anti-RSV IgG , IgM, and IgA - up to 17, 28, and 30 weeks, respectively; c) low anti -RSV neutralizing activity of serum antibodies.