Immune system in women with genital inflammatory diseases caused by Chlamydia and virus infection

: Immunologic studies were carried out in 29 women with clinical manifestations of chronic inflammations of the internal genitals. Dot-hybridization with biotin-labeled DNA probes revealed chlamydial DNA in the cervical cells of 14 women, Herpes simplex type 2 and/or cytomegaloviral DNA in 15 women. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed using monoclonal antibodies CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD19 and by Facscan flow cytofluorometer (Becton Dickinson). Immunoglobulins were measured by nephelometry with Abbott kits and TDx device. No appreciable changes in the mean values of the parameters characterizing T-cellular immunity were revealed in women with genital inflammations and chlamydial infection (p < 0.05). The counts of CD19+ lymphocytes varied to a certain degree, and IgM levels were increased in patients with chlamydial infection, this pointing to activation of B-lymphocytes with Chlamydia. A viral infection of the genitals was associated with a reduction of T-cellular immunity parameters and an imbalance in the ratio of immunoregulatory cells at the expense of reduction of the share of lymphocytes expressing CD4 antigen.