Impaired in Vitro Cell-Mediated Immunity to Rubella Virus During Pregnancy.

摘要

A significant depression in cell-mediated immunity, measured by phytohemagglutinin and mixed-lymphocyte-culture responsiveness was observed in 11 pregnant women. Specific cell-mediated immunity to rubella virus, measured by a Cr51-release microassay, was also found to be diminished during pregnancy. The mean (+ or - S.D.) specific immune release for 13 seropositive subjects during pregnancy was 4.3 + or - 5.9% as compared to a mean of 19.9 + or - 0.9% in 14 seropositive nonpregnant women. This impairment in specific cell-mediated immunity to rubella virus was shown to be transient because there was subsequent increase in immunity in each of four subjects studied post partum. Thus, these changes in cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy may contribute to the known increased severity of viral infections in the gravid state. (Author)