SUBJECTS RECOVERING FROM HUMAN OCULAR CHLAMYDIAL INFECTION HAVE ENHANCED LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE RESPONSES TO CHLAMYDIAL ANTIGENS COMPARED WITHTHOSE OF PERSISTENTLY DISEASED CONTROLS

Cell-mediated immune responses to chlamydial and common recall antigen s were measured in 26 subjects whose clinical signs of trachoma persis ted over 6 months of follow-up and in 21 subjects whose clinical signs resolved spontaneously over the same period. Seven-day lymphocyte pro liferative responses to chlamydial but not common recall antigens were significantly greater in subjects whose disease resolved spontaneousl y. There was, however, no detectable difference between the two groups in gamma interferon levels in supernatants from lymphocyte cultures s timulated with these antigens. These results are consistent with the h ypothesis that cell-mediated immune responses play an important role i n the clearance of ocular chlamydial infection in humans.