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Results were studied of use of T-activin in those clinical settings related to acute inflammatory diseases of the kidneys. There was a positive clinical effect from this preparation in all twenty-eight patients with acute purulent pyelonephritis, accompanied by readjustments in the patients' immune system. A rise to the norm was found to occur in T-helper counts, and accordingly, immunoregulatory index, NK-cell activity, blood microbocydic activity. The in vitro investigations done suggested the need for individual testing of immunocompetent cells of the patient to optimize the therapy.

There have been under observation 63 patients with meningoencephalitis at the age of 15-52 years whose complex treatment included reaferon and 42 patients with the same disease who were not given the drug. Reaferon was noted to be effective in meningoencephalitis. It shortened the period of clinical manifestation of the disease, hastened sanation of the liquor, influenced beneficially interferon production and modulated activity of the natural killers.

A clinical and immunological study is presented of 1030 practically healthy persons inhabiting Kiev from the moment of the Chernobyl accident. It was established clinically that during the last 5 years more frequent became acute respiratory viral infections, exacerbation of existing infection foci, appearance of complaints of reduced working capacity, somnolence apathy, increased fatiguability, worsening of memory, periodic subfebrility and oth. This symptom complex was determined as the "increased fatiguability syndrome". It was characterized immunologically by different changes showing most frequently a reduction of the functional activity of natural killers. The authors analyze different variants of immunological disorders in this group of subjects and give practical recommendations on using immunotropic drugs. They emphasize the importance of a service of clinical immunology in Ukraine able to organize special services to the population.

The paper presents evidence on dysfunction of natural killer cells and abnormal proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclears to T- and B-cell mitogens (PHA, Phytolacca) in patients at varying stages of acute pyelonephritis. A number of immunomodulators (recombinant alpha 2-interferon, IL-2 and tactivin) produce different effects on natural killer activity and lymphocyte blast transformation in healthy donors and pyelonephritis patients. Immunotropic effects of immunopeptides depend on the drug dose, the response of various subpopulations of the immunocompetent cells being individual. It is suggested that immune system, natural killer activity in particular, plays an important part in pathogenesis of acute pyelonephritis. In vitro experiments demonstrate that there can be a positive clinical response to tactivin and recombinant alpha 2-interferon administered in doses activating the function of certain immunocompetent cells.

The quantitative and functional state of different populations of immunocompetent cells was studied in 45 patients with acute serous and 46 patients with acute purulent pyelonephritis. An imbalance has been found in the system of regulatory cells, activation of phagocytosis with reduction of its reserve capacities, disorders of IL-producing capacity of mononuclears and suppression of the functional activity of NK cells.

Based on an analysis of the results of specific immunotherapy (SI) (132 patients were treated according to the accelerated schedule and 420 to the conventional one) it is concluded that accelerated SI is more effective and is tolerated well by the patients. Comparative studies of immunity have shown that it underwent similar changes in both treatment schedules: the intensity of specific skin tests diminished; spontaneous and antigen-induced lymphocyte transformation in vitro decreased primarily at the expense of plasmacytes; antigen-induced cell suppression was enhanced more clearly as compared to nonspecific one; the percentage of the theophylline-sensitive E-RFC relatively increased; there were no alterations in the level of active and total E-RFC, in the lymphocyte response to PHA and in the content of total IgE in blood serum. Accelerated SI influences immunity to a greater degree. As compared to nonspecific tests, antigen-induced responses of lymphocytes are more informative as a criterion of the treatment efficacy. There is no distinct relation between the levels of antigen-induced and nonspecific suppression and IgE. There is a definite relation between the enhancement of antigen-induced suppression and the effect of SI. It is suggested that SI influences specific suppressor T-lymphocytes and directly influences B-lymphocytes, changing their spontaneous and specific activity.