Lymphocyte population and T lymphocyte subsets in brucellosis analyzed by monoclonal antibodies

: In this study, T-lymphocyte subsets and HLA-DR antigen (+) cells in the peripheral blood of 19 patients with acute brucellosis were determined and the results were compared to 19 healthy control subjects. Our findings suggest that exposure of the immune system to brucella microorganism and related antigens results in an increase in the circulating "activated" cell numbers (HLA-DR+) without significant alterations in the subpopulations of peripheral blood lymphocytes.