Opsonic activity, phagocytosis, and bactericidal capacity of polymorphs in undernutrition

Abstract

Opsonic activity, phagocytosis, and bactericidal capacity of polymorphs in undernutrition. Fifteen undernourished infants and children were studied for opsonic activity of plasma, and for phagocytosis and intracellular bactericidal capacity of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The opsonic activity was slightly increased and there was a significant decrease in bacterial killing by polymorphs of malnourished individuals compared with healthy controls. Phagocytosis was com-parable in the 2 groups. In 3 patients, the impairment of bacterial killing was reversed to normal on recovery from nutritional deficit. It is suggested that this may be one possible mechanism of infection-nutrition interaction. Clinical observations suggest that malnutrition increases the susceptibility to and severity of disease caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens, and that infections have an adverse effect on the nutritional state (Scrimshaw, Taylor and Gordon, 1968). Previous reports sugges