Indicators of immune status in patients with recurrent herpes infection

Zh.B. Ponezheva¹, I.V. Mannanova¹, M.Kh. Kardanova², L.V. Kardanova², R.Z. Alakaev²

¹Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being, Moscow

²Kh.M. Berbekov Kabardian-Balkar State University, Nalchik

Background: the herpes infection (HI) relevance for public health is due to the widespread prevalence of herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2). The HI immunopathogenesis in patients with its recurrent course is complex and includes both cell-mediated immune response hyperactivation and interferon (IFN) system deficiency.

Aim: to evaluate the changes in indicators of the immune status and the IFN system in patients with diagnosed recurrent HI during treatment according to the standard regimen.

Patients and Methods: the study involved 22 patients aged 18 to 60 years with laboratory-confirmed recurrent HSV-1 and/or HSV-2. On the basis of the Clinical Department of Infectious Pathology (the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being), the following parameters of the immune status and IFN system were studied in patients for two years: IFN-α and IFN-γ content, B-cell (CD20+) indices and main T-cell subpopulations count (CD4+, CD8+, CD16+), CD95 expression+, immunoregulatory index.

Results: when analyzing the serum count and spontaneous IFN, as well as its induced production by leukocytes, IFN system deficiency of various stages was revealed with a trend improvement during treatment. IFN system inhibition in patients with recurrent HI was accompanied by significant functional immune dysregulation in the form of early cytotoxic T-cells (CD8+) activation, as well as a decrease in the natural killer cells (CD16+) number. A significant increase in the absolute and relative number of T-cells (CD3+) (during a decrease in the absolute number of helper T-cells (CD4+), the proportion of cytotoxic T-cells (CD8+) and B-cells) was accompanied by recurrent HI in 85% of cases and the need to use antiviral drugs with each exacerbation during follow-up.

Conclusion: the immune status disorders revealed during the study indicated both the importance of immunological aspects in the HI pathogenesis and its relapses progression, as well as the need for immunocorrection in such patients.

Keywords: herpes simplex virus, herpes infection, interferon system inhibition, T-cell immunity.

For citation: Ponezheva Zh.B., Mannanova I.V., Kardanova M.Kh., Kardanova L.V., Alakaev R.Z. Indicators of immune status in patients with recurrent herpes infection. RMJ. 2024;6:–38.