Immune and interferon status in schoolchildren living in cities with different anthropogenic load.

Examinations of 6-11-year healthy children living in industrial cities of the Orenburg region revealed a close relationship between ecological status of the territory and some immunity parameters such as immune deficiency, interferon content, and formation of postvaccinal immunity with live measles vaccine. The most pronounced changes in the immune status and decreased postvaccinal immunity were found in a city with the greatest anthropogenic load. Changes in interferon status were similar in all cities: a 2-fold increase of serum interferon and suppressed production of interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma.