PHAGOCYTOSIS AND OXIDATIVE BURST BY NEUTROPHILS IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT FURUNCULOSIS

Neutrophil phagocytosis of fluorescently labelled Staphylococcus aureu s and oxidative burst by the neutrophils were assessed by now cytometr y in 22 patients with recurrent furunculosis and in 17 controls. Phago cytosis and oxidative burst were not found to be significantly differe nt between the patients and controls. Low serum iron concentrations we re demonstrated in six patients (27%), In these patients with hypoferr aemia, oxidative burst was significantly lower than in the patients wi thout hypoferraemia and in the controls. These data suggest that hypof erraemia may be an important predisposing factor in a subgroup of pati ents with recurrent furunculosis in impairing oxidative killing by neu trophils.