The condition of cellular and humoral immunity of 91 children with acute bronchitis has been studied. The criteria when selecting patients for the study were: presence of acute bronchitis, age of children from 1 to 12 month, no bronchus and lungs defects, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, congenital immunodeficiency diseases, asthma and other chronic lung diseases. The average age was 7,6 ± 0,2 months. Two subgroups of patients have been allocated considering the age of clinical and immunological features of respiratory diseases among children. The first included 49 children aged 1 to 6 months, the second – 42 children aged 7 to 12 months.

Absolute and relative number of immune cells (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, SD16+, CD22+) using red blood cell diagnostics was determined and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was calculated to assess the state of cellular immunity.

Phagocytic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils was determined using light microscope by absorbency of neutrophils in relation to the latex particles after their combined incubation.

State of humoral immunity was assessed by serum concentrations in major classes of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE) and content of circulating immune complexes. The content of immunoglobulins IgA, IgM, IgG in serum was determined by radial infusion in Difko’s agar by G. Mancini et al. Evaluation of total IgE in serum was performed by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis on Tablet immunoassay analyzer Stat Fax 303 Plus. Circulating immune complexes were determined using the method, which based on precipitation of immune complexes of blood by high-molecular polyethylene glycol, with followed measurement the results by spectrophotometric method. It has been established that changes in the immune cells of peripheral blood in infants suffering from acute bronchitis were age-dependent. In the age group 1–6 months relative number of leukocytes was at the rate of the control group and in children aged 7–12 months increased. The relative and absolute number of lymphocytes compared with the performance of the control group was lower in children aged 1–6 months and 7–12 months.

Reduction in the relative number of lymphocytes, decreasing the number of total Tcells (CD3+) and T-helpers (CD4+), increasing the number of natural killer cells (CD16+) have been observed. The relative number of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes/suppressors (CD8+) was not differed from the control group, whereas their absolute amount was decreased. Given this distribution of T-cells the cell immunoregulatory index (CD4+/CD8+) was not significantly changed and not differed from the control group rate. Relative and absolute number of B-lymphocytes (CD22+cells) at children with acute bronchitis was at the performance of the control group and within the reference values. Revealed violations indicate an inhibition of T-cell immunity at children with acute bronchitis.

Phagocytic activity of neutrophils in both age subgroups of examined children did not differ from the control group index.

Increased synthesis of IgA, Ig G and Ig E was a reaction from the humoral immune system that shows an activation of the immune response. Rising level of circulating immune complexes was observed in comparison with control group.

In the age aspect more expressive disfunctions of cellular and humoral immunity were observed in 1-6 months old children, which could be one of the reasons for an unfavorable course of the disease in that age group.

Keywords: immunity, children first year of life, acute bronchitis

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