[Defective polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in chronic granulomatous muco-cutaneous candidiasis (author's...

Chronic granulomatous muco-cutaneous candidiasis is reported in a 12-year-old boy who died of pulmonal cryptococcosis. Chemotactic and phagocytic functions of the neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes were deficient while the cell mediated immunity was not disturbed and no decrease of immunoglobulins and complement factors--especially C3 and C5--was found in the serum. The possibility is considered that the disturbance of lymphocyte mediated immune response is the normal, but not only fundamental aetiological factor of chronic muco-cutaneous candidiasis.