Defects in granulocyte function in various chromosome abnormalities (Down's-, Edwards'-, Cri-du-chat syndrome).

In five infants with autosomal aberrations and diminished resistance to infection (in spite of intact humoral and cellular immune mechanisms) several granulocyte functions (chemotaxis, phagocytosis, intracellular killing and metabolism of killing) were measured. A serum-dependent or a cell-dependent disturbance of phagocytosis of Candida albicans was found in two infants with cat-cry syndrome and one with trisomy 18. In one of these children there was an additional serum dependent defect of the killing of Candida albicans and of Staphylococcus aureus, serum levels of opsonins (IgG, IgM, CH50 and C3) being within normal range. An infant with trisomy 21 showed, in addition to a cellular defect of chemotaxis, a reduced cellular ability of the killing of Staphylococcus aureus and of Escherichia coli in autologous and AB-pool-serum. Phagocytosis of these bacteria remained normal.