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Populations of children living in the Bryansk territory (radionuclide contamination 0.2-63.9 Cu/km2) are characterized by heterogeneous blood counts, though relevant mean values are close to control. Mean cytochemical indices indicated a significant reduction in activity of point nonspecific esterase (NSEP), a marker of mature T-cells, in children from all the contaminated districts. Shifts in cytochemical blood lymphocytogram by NSEP test evidencing rejuvenascence of T-lymphocyte pool were recorded in 12-33% of children from different villages. A 10% decrease in NSEP suggested poor adaptation and feasibility of immunodeficiency. In one-third of children with low NSEP the number of lymphocytes with large-granular PAS reaction may reflect uneffective B-lymphopoiesis in these children. In two villages significantly contaminated with 137Cs and 90Sr half of the children had blood hemoglobin above 150 milligrams. Children from three villages exhibited a sharp rise in the number of lymphocytes with intensive-granular PAS reaction. These changes may be related to thyroid abnormalities. The number of children at risk of health deterioration grows with growing environmental contamination with 137Cs.

Annual incidence of acute leukemia (AL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) per 100,000 residents aged 0-15 years has been compared for 6 South-West regions (supervision territory), 21 control regions (comparison territory) and Bryansk city. Childhood population of the supervision territory, radionuclide contaminated after the Chernobyl accident, was 58,600 residents, that of comparison territory and Bryansk city 158,600 and 98,900, respectively (1992). In 1986-1991 59 ALL cases (annual incidence 3.11 per 100,000), 7 ANLL cases (0.38) 2, 1 and 19 of unspecified leukemia, CML, NHL (1.00), respectively, have been registered. Incidence rate and age distribution for both AL and NHL were typical for childhood population of industrial countries. AL incidence was highest in Bryansk city (4.21), in supervision territory it was 4.1, in comparison regions 3.05. There was a statistically significant excess of AL incidence in 1986 among those aged 0-15 years in the supervision territory based on 8 cases (annual incidence 13, 7, a 95% confidence interval 6-27).

Monoclonal immunophenotyping of leukemia cells of the bone marrow was carried out by the method of rapid immune alkaline phosphatase (RIAP) in 30 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) aged 6 months-14 years. The authors used a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MCA) produced by Leu (Belgium) and DAKO (Denmark) directed to antigens of differentiation clusters: Tdt, HLA-DR, CD: 10, 19, 20, 22, 7, 8, 2, 5, 13, 33, 14. The results indicate diversity of compositions of differentiating antigens on leukemia cells of the dominant population and a different degree of leukemic cell pool heterogenicity. RIAP advantages over flow cytometry in immunotyping of ALL cells are shown. Arguments are provided in favor of introduction of broader MCA panel.

A cytochemical lymphocytogram by PAS--reaction and nonspecific esterase test was made using blood smears from 820 children living in different regions of the Bryansk area exposed to radioactive contamination and from 46 matched controls from noncontaminated territories. Most of the children were born before the Chernobyl accident. The cytochemical lymphocytogram was informative enough to evaluate lymphocytic pool and its renewal. The lymphocytogram parameters served criteria for selection of children's groups at relative risk. The groups comprised 25-60% of the examinees depending on the contamination degree and were registered for subsequent follow-up and rehabilitation.

The study of the time course of immunocytologic structures of a lymphocyte pool in newborns with sepsis has shown a direct dependence of these parameters on the period of the disease. The lymphocyte sensitivity to thymomimetcs in the tests in vitro, as well as the level of the immunoregulatory index reflect most completely the clinical effect of these preparations, that serves an objective criterion for the use of immunocorrecting drugs in the therapy of a generalized bacterial process.

Characteristics of lymphocyte populations in the bone marrow and peripheral blood were comparatively analyzed in children with non-T acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) during remission, and in the reference group of children with conditionally normal hemopoiesis, as well as with population of lymphocytes obtained from the femur of 22-32-week fetuses. The analysis has shown pronounced changes in the children during remission. The shifts in the structure of lymphocyte population in the bone marrow of children during remission of non-T ALL are considered as compensatory, under conditions of a secondary immunodeficiency due to an abrupt diminution of the absolute number of bone marrow and circulating lymphocytes.

The study of the activity of nucleolus-forming areas in bone marrow and blood cells in 67 children with acute leukemia has shown the parameter variability depending on histogenetic affiliation, differentiation degree and on the proliferative activity of the cells.