Rapid Loss of Both CD4~+ and CD8~+ T Cell Subsets During the Acute Phase of Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome

摘要

Objective The purpose of this article is to study the alteration of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) patients and to help improve the established early diagnosis. Methods Anti - coagulating blood samples from 30 cases of SARS patients, 56 normal healthy blood donors, and patients infected by HIV, CMV, and EBV were collected. The T lymphocyte subsets were counted by flow cytometry using fluorescence - labeled specific monoclonal antibodies. Results A significant decrease was observed in all SARS patients in their peripheral CD4~+ and CD8 ~+ T lymphocyte absolute counts (284 +-187 cells/mm~3 , and 288 +-167 cells/mm~3 respectively) , which were also lower than the patients infected by HIV, CMV and EBV. All the patients infected by HIV, CMV and EBV had remarkably increased CD8~+ T lymphocyte counts in comparison with normal controls. Conclusion Co - decrease of both CD4~+ and CD8~+ T lymphocytes of patients is related to onset of SARS, T lymphocyte subset analysis would help improve the early diagnosis.