Viral inhibition of lymphocyte response to phytohemagglutinin.

The response to phytohemagglutinin by lymphocytes from eight of fourteen patients with congenital rubella was inhibited, whereas that of lymphocytes from patients with other diseases was not. The response of normal lymphocytes infected in vitro was also inhibited. The results suggest that early association of lymphocytes with virus inhibits the function of the cell and contributes to persistent carrying of virus in congenital rubella. This phenomenon may be a means of detecting viruses not now recognizable by routine methods of tissue culture.