[Pathophysiology of infectious diseases in immunosuppressive therapy (author's transl)].

The frequency and the nature of infections due to immunosuppressive therapy is well established now, but the pathophysiology of these infections is not very well known. Immunosuppressive effect itself, other secondary effects, and frequently the preexisting disease, decrease host resistance to infection. With some examples, it is attempted to link the nature of infectious diseases observed in the immunosuppressive therapy, to the effect of these drugs on host resistance to infections. The decrease of antiinfectious cellular immunity is one of the more important factors which may explain the frequency and severity of infectious diseases in these conditions.