QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF BACTERICIDAL CAPABILITY OF NEUTROPHILS FROM PATIENTS AND CARRIERS OF CHRONIC GRANULOMATOUS DISEASE

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 90  (3) , 522-528
Abstract
Previous studies examined the ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from patients and carriers of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) to kill small numbers of bacteria in vitro. The number of microorganisms killed by CGD PMN when the initial number of bacteria per neutrophil was increased was examined. Bactericidal capacities of PMN from 7 patients and 5 proven carriers of CGD were examined with 5 test ratios ranging from 1.25 to 100 bacteria/neutrophil. CGD PMN killed a limited number of catalase-positive Staphylococcus aureus, but the number of bacteria killed increased progressively as the initial test ratio was advanced. At the highest ratio (100:1) patient PMN killed a mean of 9 S. aureus/cell (normal 48 .+-. 13.2 SD). PMN from patients with CGD killed increasing numbers of catalase-negative Streptococcus faecalis with normal efficiency, reaching a mean of 14 S. faecalis killed/cell at 100:1. Individual variation in the ability of CGD PMN to kill S. aureus was apparent, but the degree of PMN bactericidal effectiveness did not correlate with the patient''s clinical course. PMN from asymptomatic carriers of proven sex-linked CGD had a wide spectrum of staphylocidal activity which ranged from normal to levels comparable to CGD patients.