[Immune defects as a cause of septic complications in leukemias and malignant lymphomas (author's transl)].

Septicemias, especially those due to gram-negative pathogens, frequently occur in leukemias, malignant lymphomas and other malignant or metabolic diseases leading to inanition. The causes are disturbances of cellular defense and humoral immune defects. The immune reaction can be affected by disordered antibody function. In addition to a disturbance of leukocyte function due to reduction of granulocytes (granulocytopenia) disturbances of leukocyte function also occur with a normal cell count (granulocytopathy) especially under cytostatic therapy. Besides specific antibiotic therapy it is important to improve the defense position of the organism by treating the primary disease and to assess the disordered immune status correctly.