Lysozyme activity in plasma and leucocytes in malnourished children

Abstract

1. Lysozyme activity was estimated in plasma and leucocytes of twelve children suffering from kwashiorkor, thirteen children with ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency and ten apparently normal children acting as controls.2. The results showed that the activity of lysozyme in leucocytes was significantly reduced in children with kwashiorkor and in vitamin A-deficient children. Following therapy, the levels of the enzyme in leucocytes were restored to normal.3. The initial enzyme activity in the plasma of both groups of children did not differ significantly from the control value, and was not significantly changed after treatment.4. It is suggested that the decreased activity of lysozyme is one of the factors responsible for diminished resistance to infection generally observed in malnourished children.