This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ocon, P Articles by Colmenero, J D Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ocon, P Articles by Colmenero, J D

research-article

Phagocytic cell function in active brucellosis.

Unit of Immunology, Regional Hospital Carlos Haya, University of Málaga, Spain.

ABSTRACT

In this study, we analyzed phagocytic cell function in 51 patients with active brucellosis and its relationship with different clinical, serological, and evolutionary variables. A control group was made up of 30 blood donors of similar geographic extraction, age, and sex, with no previous history of brucellosis or known exposure ot the infection or specific antibodies. The investigations were carried out at the time of diagnosis, at the conclusion of treatment, and after 6 months of follow-up. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte adherence and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in response to Brucella antigen were significantly increased in the patients at the time of diagnosis with respect to the control group. In contrast, chemotaxis in response to Brucella antigen and phagocytosis were significantly reduced in the patients with respect to the control group. The alterations in phagocytic cell function were greater in patients with bacteremia, with focal forms of the disease, or with a longer diagnostic delay. Most of these initial alterations tended to normalize with treatment, indicating their transient character.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Turunc, T., Demiroglu, Y. Z., Aliskan, H., Colakoglu, S., Timurkaynak, F., Ozdemir, N., Arslan, H. (2008). Brucellosis in cases of end-stage renal disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 0: gfm925v1-gfm925 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Morata, P., Queipo-Ortuño, M. I., Reguera, J. M., García-Ordoñez, M. A., Pichardo, C., Colmenero, J. d. D. (1999). Posttreatment Follow-Up of Brucellosis by PCR Assay. J. Clin. Microbiol. 37: 4163-4166 [Abstract] [Full Text]