Activation of Lymphocytes in Peripheral Blood in Parainfectious Encephalitis Associated with Exanthema

Abstract

The number of lymphocytes actively synthetizing RNA was assessed in the peripheral blood stream by staining the blood smears with buffered toluidine blue. In patients with measles, chickenpox and German measles the percentage of activated lymphocytes was several times higher than in healthy subjects of corresponding age. In encephalitis associated with German measles the activation of lymphocytes was equally high as in uncomplicated German measles. On the other hand, in encephalitis associated with measles and chickenpox the number of activated lymphocytes was as low as in healthy subjects and differed markedly from uncomplicated cases of the disease. In the case of encephalitis associated with German measles the percentage*** of activated lymphocytes gradually declined, while in encephalitis associated with measles and chickenpox it remained low. A slight increase was observed only during the second week of the disease in patients not treated with corticosteroids, in the remainder after termination of corticosteroid therapy. These findings confirm the different pathogenesis of different types of exanthematous parainfectious encephalitis.