Peripheral blood neutrophils (PMN) from patients with paracoccidioidomycosis killed and digested Paracoccidioides brasiliensis much less than did PMN from normal individuals or from patients with other diseases. However, deficiency in killing ability was less specific than digestive deficiency and correlated poorly with it. We conclude that the capacities of PMN to digest and kill P. brasiliensis are not intimately related phenomena, and that in paracoccidioidomycosis the key deficiency of neutrophil function is that of digestion of P. brasiliensis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Specific digestive deficiency of phagocytes in paracoccidioidomycosis. Its absence in peripheral blood neutrophils of members of the nuclear family of patients. An initial report.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PARA) affects only a minority of individuals, who have presumably been exposed to the causative fungus (Paracoccidioides brasiliensis). Neutrophils (PMNs) from patients with PARA show a significant and specific digestive deficiency phagocytosed P. brasiliensis in vitro. It is not known whether the defect is acquired after contact with the fungus, or precedes it. We studied the spouses and offspring of three patients with PARA. Individuals studied stayed in the same house as their husband or father. None of the relatives had evidence of PARA, and their PMNs showed no defect in their ability to digest or kill the fungus. Relatives showed no indication of sensitization against P. brasiliensis. These results are compatible with the view that effective contact with P. brasiliensis may occur only under restricted conditions and that the defect in digestive ability is an infrequent and specific occurrence.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An unusual case of hyper-production of IgE, treated by plasmapheresis.

A 15-year-old boy with severe inflammatory skin lesions from an early age was found to have extremely elevated serum IgE levels (up to 376.000 IU/ml). His skin showed positive direct immunofluorescence for IgE and he had peripheral and bone marrow eosinophilia. No evidence for atopic disease was found, but he suffered intestinal helminthic infection of moderate intensity. He showed a somewhat depressed cell mediated immune response but a normal polymorphonuclear function. Various treatments that included anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-parasitic, anti-mycotic and PUVA therapy did not significantly improve his condition A therapeutic test using plasmapheresis produced marked, though short-lived clinical improvement. We believe that this case might result from the superimposition of the stimulatory effects of intestinal helminthiasis on a background of intrinsic hyper-production of IgE.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied