抄録
Results of a preliminary study of cell-mediated immunity to measles virus employing 51Cr release lymphocytotoxic assay are described. The subjects consist of 5 patients with typical measles, 4 with measles encephalomyelitis, and 11 children and adults with or without prior histories of measles. Specific cytotoxic reactivity to target cells carrying measles specific surface membrane antigen is observed with lympho-cytes from all of measles patients and seropositive individuals. Lymphocytes from 3 out of 4 seronegative individuals without prior histories of measles failed to exhibit specific reactivity to measles virus. No relation was found between serum antibody titers and values of specific lymphocyte reactivity to measles virus. There seems to be no significant difference in cell-mediated immunity between the patients with typical measles and those with complicated encephalitis as evaluated from the results of this study.
