Polymorph function and cellular immunity in Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte intracellular killing of Staphylococcus aureus and chemotactic indices as well as T and B lymphocyte subpopulations were determined in 35 healthy controls and 70 Nigerians with pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients were radiologically classified into exudative, fibro-cavitary, miliary, and mixed lesions groups. Migration inhibition factor (MIF) production and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6 PD) levels were also determined in 40 patients and 20 controls. The polymorph function as shown by chemotaxic and killing index was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in all patients when compared to the controls. Reduced G-6-PD levels though found in patients when compared to the controls was not significant. A reversal of the T helper/T suppressor ratio was found in all tuberculosis patients when compared to the controls as a result of decreased T helper cell numbers. T helper cells as well as the MIF index tended to be lowest in the miliary lesions group.