Changes and analysis of peripheral white blood cells and lymphocyte subsets for patients with influenza B virus infection

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the characters and changes of peripheral white blood cells and lymphocyte subsets of patients with influenza B virus infection and to provide evidences for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of influenza B virus infection.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Peripheral white blood cell parameters and the percentages of lymphocyte subsets in acute and recovery phases of 47 cases of influenza B virus infection patients(32 mild cases and 15 severe cases)were investigated and analyzed,and compared respectively with those of 38 cases of healthy people using whole blood cell analysis and flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Peripheral white blood cell counts of mild cases decreased greatly but peripheral white blood cell counts and the neutrophils of severe cases increased significantly in acute phase; the peripheral lymphocytes, CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD19 of all patients with influenza B virus infection decreased greatly in acute phase and quickly recovered in recovery phase;there were similar characteristics of change in NK cells between patients with influenza B virus and healthy people. NK cells absolute counts of severe cases decreased significantly in acute phase.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Peripheral white blood cell counts and the neutrophils of increased significantly in acute phase and the great decrease of NK cells absolute counts of patients with influenza B virus infection may suggest the severe tendency of diseases.</p>