[Significance of immunological investigation in pulmonary pathology].

An extensive range of investigations were used in a comparative study of immune reactivity in the tuberculous pulmonary pathology, as well as in sarcoidosis, pneumonia and cancer of the lungs. T and B lymphocyte populations were followed, indexes of leucocyte migration, induced lymphoblastogenesis to phytohaemagglutinin, and the serum levels of immunoglobulins. Also the intensity of the hypersensitivity to tuberculin was investigated, to allergens extracted from staphylococcus and streptococcus strains, as well as against organ antigens (pulmonary tissues). Differences were evidenced, of immunologic reactivity in various nosologic entities investigated. The dynamic follow-up of some of the cases has demonstrated that the immunological reactivity varies in parallelly with severity of cases, deficiences being corrected by adequate therapy. The immunologic status may be considered a criterium for a rational pathogenetic treatment, for assessing the efficiency of such a treatment, as well as for the differential diagnosis of pulmonary diseases.