Immunity and nutrition in heroin addicts.

An immunological and nutritional survey was conducted on 16 heroin addicts and 16 control subjects matched for age and sex. Skin testing showed none of the addicts to be anergic. Three of four individuals who had positive purified protein derivative (PPD) skin tests failed to produce leucocyte migration inhibition factor (LMIF) to PPD in vitro; in contrast, four of five PPD skin test positive controls produced LMIF. A relative lymphocytosis was found in the heroin addicts although the percentage of 'T' lymphocytes (E-rosetting techniques) was similar to that of the control population. A significant elevation of serum IgG and IgM (p less than 0.0005) was present. Although none of the addicts studied were nutritionally deficient, the serum vitamin C, B6 and albumin levels were significantly lower than in the controls. Elevation of serum aminotransferase values occurred in half the patients, but there was no correlation with presence of serum markers of hepatitis B infection or absent LMIF production. The results suggest that heroin addicts are capable of responding to antigens when their nutritional status in normal, despite the presence of liver enzyme abnormalities.