Preferential increase of a T-cell subset as a cause of lymphocytosis in children with whooping cough.

: T-cell subsets were examined in 17 children with whooping cough, employing OKT3, OKT4, OKT6 and OKT8 monoclonal antibodies. The degree of lymphocytosis in patients was correlated with an increase in OKT4-(helper-inducer) positive cells. These findings support the hypothesis of a disturbance in the release rather than in the homing of lymphocytes.