ASSESSMENT OF THE FUNCTIONAL-CAPACITY FOR INTRACELLULAR DEATH AND PHAGOCYTOSIS OF POLYMORPHONUCLEAR CELLS IN HEALTHY NEONATES

The objective of this study was to assess the functional capacity for intracellular death (ID) and/or phagocytic index (PI) of polymorphonuc lear cells of 24-h-old healthy newborns with respect to the PMN cells of adults using the same standard erogenous source of opsonins. The ID and PI techniques were standardized and 2-3 ml of blood were used. No differences were found in the percentages of ID, P, PI among the PMNs of the newborns and those of the adults: 43.95 +/- 15.70 vs. 44.56 +/ - 8.43 for ID; 38.96 +/- 14.34 vs. 39.00 +/- 14.54 for P; 1.71 +/- 0.5 4 vs. 1.73 0.45 for PI, respectively. It was concluded that the PMNs o f 24-h newborns have an ID, P, PI functionality comparable to adult PM Ns; differences observed in PMN function in newborns may be due to hum oral deficiencies (opsonins).