In vitro phagocytosis of Candida albicans by peripheral polymorphonuclear neutrophils of patients with recurrent infections:Case reports of serum-dependent abnormalities.

The "in vitro" phagocytosis of C. albicans by peripheral polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) of 25 healthy subjects and of 27 patients with recurrent infections was performed in autologous serum and in normal pooled AB serum. In AB serum PMN of the patients phagocytosed C. albicans significantly better than PMN of healthy subjects. In 9 out of 27 patients the phagocytosis of C. albicans by the patient's PMN was markedly lower in autologous serum than in AB serum. Four patients with extreme serum-dependent abnormalities in the phagocytosis of C. albicans by their PMN's are described more in detail.