DEFECTIVE ASPERGILLUS KILLING BY NEUTROPHIL LEUKOCYTES IN A CASE OF SYSTEMIC ASPERGILLOSIS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (1) , 201-207
Abstract
A persistent defect of Aspergillus killing was observed in the neutrophils of a 6 yr old patient with a systemic A. fumigatus infection which was highly refractory to anti-mycotic thearpy. Aspergillus phagocytosis in vitro was normal, but nearly 80% of the ingested organisms (vs. 30% in the controls) survived intracellularly during the 2 h assay period. The patient''s neutrophils showed a subnormal frequency of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and a subnormal hexose monophosphate shunt activation in response to phagocytosis. The metabolic responsiveness was clearly superior to that of chronic granulomatous disease neutrophils tested for comparison. The immune status of the patient and the following properties of his neutrophils were normal: random and chemotactic motility, killing of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans and the contents of several granula enzymes. The existence of neutrophil factors or functions which are required fo killing Aspergillus, but not S. aureus and C. albicans, is suggested.