THE EFFECTS OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION ON MACROPHAGE PHAGOCYTOSIS OF CANDIDA

The effects of infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on phag ocytic function towards Candida pseudotropicalis were tested using mon ocytotropic and nonmonocytotropic HIV strains on peripheral blood mono cytes. There were no differences in either quantitative phagocytic act ivity or efficacy between the two infected and control mock-infected m onocytes. Immunofluorescence for cytoplasmic p24 antigen and in situ h ybridization for detection of HIV-specific RNA sequences revealed that very few cells (10(-4)) exhibit productive infection. Occasional cell s with active infection as defined by microscopically detectable fluor escence labelling contained phagocytized yeasts.