Influenza: Response of T-Cell Lymphopenia to Thymosin

Abstract

Eighteen volunteers in two study groups were inoculated with influenza A (H3N2) and their peripheral blood T, B and null cells enumerated at subsequent intervals. Infection with wild-type virus or with a live, attenuated virus vaccine markedly reduced the proportion and absolute number of T-cell rosettes 24 hours after inoculation. T-cell depression preceded the onset of clinical illness in symptomatic subjects, continued during illness, and returned to normal with recovery. T-cell lymphopenia was most pronounced in volunteers infected with wild-type virus and was accompanied by an increase in null cells.