[Thymus hormones in the treatment and prevention of flavivirus infection under experimental conditions].

The evaluation and selection of the preparations of thymic hormones for the treatment and prophylaxis of acute tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) caused by Far Eastern TBE virus strains have been carried out on mice under different experimental conditions. These virus strains, highly and faintly virulent with respect to noninbred mice, produce a different modulating effect of the immune responsiveness of the host, respectively suppressing or simulating immune response to sheep red blood cells. A high prophylactic effect produced by thymic hormones (having protective index equal to 50-67%) with respect to highly virulent TBE virus stains has been established, which is seemingly indicative of the fact that such course of TBE leads to the formation of the state of severe immunodeficiency due to the lesion of the thymus. A high therapeutic effect resulting from the clinical use of thymic hormones is suggested.