Immunological studies in children with cystic fibrosis (C.F.).

Concentrations of immunoglobulins were determined (using Mancini method and WHO standard) in 
108 sera taken during long term treatment of 45 children with 
C.F. from 2 months to 16 years old. They were shown 
to depend markedly on the clinical state of the children particularly 
on the presence of pulmonary tract infectious processes. These infections caused 
a rise in immunoglobulin concentration with predominance of IgM in C.F. 
children aged up to 3 yrs, and with predominance of IgG 
in older children. Mean titer of isohemagglutinins in children with C.F. 
was higher than in healthy children. Low titers of diphtherial and 
stapholococcal antibodies were found. In the case of anti diphtheria antibodies, 
this can be attributed to the fact that these children are 
not regularly vaccinated owing to their poor clinical condition. As to 
the low titer of antistaphylococcal antibodies this is a well known 
finding in the course of chronic staphylococcal infections of appropriate bacteriological 
tests in our C.F. children. Furthermore their lymphocytes showed an increased 
blastic transformation when stimulated with staphylococcal filtrate. Transformation of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes 
was normal. 