A Study Of The Lysozyma Activity And Proxidose Content Of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes In Patients With Active Pheumatic Fever:

Helmy Mohamed Aly Baligh

The peroxidase content and lysozyme activity in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes in 20 patients suffering from active rheumatic fever were measured. They were taken as two parameters for the assessment of the intracellular killing capacity of these cells dur-ing the course of this disease. A decrease in the peroxidase content in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of cases of rheumatic fever was found (m: 306.05 + 23.97) in comparison to values obtained from controls (m: 343.7 + 14.78). This decrease is statistically significant (P<0.0005).The bactricidal capacity of these cells might not be much affected as cells with complete congential absence of this enzyme retain much of its capability to kill micro-organisms. The measurement of lysozyme activity has revealed an increase in the group of rheumatic cases (m: 164.2 + 11.86)in comparison to the group of controls (m:144.6 + 13.31). Again this increase is statistically significant (P‹ 0.0005). This increase of lysozyme activity in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of rae matic cases might be reguard-ed as a compensatory mechanism in the cell to combat infections.It is recommended that the bactricidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in active rheumatic fever be further studied using other techniques such as killing of Staph aureus or Candida albicans.