[Functional and metabolic activity of leukocytes in patients with chronic brucellosis].

OBJECTIVE

Investigation of functional-metabolic activity of leukocytes by assessment of basic components of the microbicidal system in the course of chronic brucellosis with reference to the stage, severity, complications and concomitant diseases.

METHODS

Time course of changes in myeloperoxidase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity, levels of cation protein, glycogen and lipids in leukocytes were studied in seventy-one 16-70-year-old patients with exacerbation of chronic brucellosis. The diagnosis of primary-chronic, secondary-chronic brucellosis, subcompensation was made in 13, 58 and 69 patients, respectively. 14 patients had chronic infectious inflammatory diseases, 13 patients had chronic non-inflammatory diseases.

RESULTS

Patients with chronic brucellosis at the height of the exacerbation had suppressed activity of myeloperoxidase and lowered level of cationic protein with high activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases, elevated glycogen and lipids in leukocytes. General condition of the patients improved in parallel with multidirectional shifts in the levels of microbicidal system components with normalization at the stage of persistent remission.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in the level of intracellular components of leukocytes depended on brucellosis stage, severity, complications, concomitant diseases, completeness of recovery. This is of clinico-diagnostic significance.