QUANTITATIVE AND CYTOLOGIC CHANGES IN VAR IOUS TYPES OF BLOOD LEUKOCYTES IN LIQUIDATORS 5 TO 6 YEARS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

Radiation-induced effects were studied in leukocytes from 300 males 5- 6 years after the Chernobyl accident. Radiation dose received ranged f rom 5 to 100 sGy. Leukocyte composition of blood was determined in blo od smears stained according to Pappenheim and at flow cytometry on Fac s far laser cell sorter. Compared to controls, the majority of the pat ients had moderate relative and absolute lymphocytosis, eosinophilia a nd neutrophilopenia. Nuclear structure was changed more frequently in lymphocytes and neutrophyls from the exposed subjects, especially in t hose who had received large dose. The findings evidence that 5-6 years after radiation accident the exposed subjects develop quantitative an d qualitative shifts in leukocytes suggesting probable radiation effec ts on genetic system of the baseline hemopoietic cells.