THE ROLE OF CHEMOTHERAPY IN POLYMORPHONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTOSIS IN PNEUMONIA

The efficacy of the host defense system is a determining factor for th e outcome of antimicrobial events in infected patients. The neutrophil granulocyte plays a key role in the lung's defense against bacterial invasion and in the absence of a sufficient attraction of functionally intact neutrophils in the lung, following bacterial challenge, severe pulmonary infection may result. The involvement of phagocytes in pneu monia is well known: infiltration of lung parenchyma by neutrophils oc curs within a short time in response to infection and is followed by a n influx of monocytes. We investigated the effects of antimicrobial th erapy in pneumonia on polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) phagocytosis.