Cellular immune function in marasmic and underweight infants with prolonged diarrhoea.

Lymphocytes from 10 marasmic and underweight infants with prolonged diarrhoea responded normally to phytohaemagglutinin stimulation. There was no gross deficiency in the total number of lymphocytes, serum immunoglobulins, or serum C3. Defective cellular immunity does not appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea in these children.