Leukocyte migration inhibitory factor in HSV infections.

The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response as measured by a direct assay of leukocyte migration inhibition factor (LMIF) was determined in a population of patients with recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections in the quiescent stage as well as in healthy volunteers. The migration of leukocytes incubated in the presence of HSV antigens was compared to that without viral antigens for the calculation of the migration index (MI). Eleven of 41 control subjects (16.8%) had a MI below 0.8, indicating a positive CMI response. In contrast, all the herpes patients tested had a MI above 0.8, suggesting an impairment in the production of LMIF at this stage of their disease. This difference was statistically significant (t = 4.296; p less than 0.001) and was not dependent on the age of the population. This study indicates that individuals with recurrent HSV infections have impaired CMI response betweeen attacks which may be associated with the stage of the disease.