EVALUATION OF SOME PARAMETERS OF CELLULAR -IMMUNITY AFTER EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION WITH IBR VIRUS IN GLUCANE-TREATED CALVES

Some parameters of cell-mediated immunity (phagocytic activity PA and phagocytic index PI, metabolic activity and migration-inhibitive facto r MIF of blood leucocytes) were investigated in calves experimentally infected with IBR virus (group II) and in calves premedicated with glu cane seven days before infection (group I). A significant increase in the percentage of phagocytizing cells was observed in both groups of a nimals on days 2 - 4 of the experiment (P < 0.01) in comparison with t he values before infection. If the two groups of animals were confront ed with each other, there was a significant difference in the percenta ge of phagocytizing cells on days 1 and 2 after infection (P < 0.05), with the higher average values in the calves which were only infected. An evaluation of PI showed a statistically significant difference onl y in the glucane-treated calves on day 7 after its administration (P < 0.05), i.e. on day zero of the experiment. The inhibition of leucocyt e migration ability was found on day 1 after infection, and it persist ed for four days, without any significant differences between the grou ps. An evaluation of the metabolic activity of leucocytes (INT-test) s howed a decrease in the calves of both groups in comparison with the i nitial value, without any significant differences when the values were confronted with each other.