[Neonatal sepsis: bases and possibilities for immunotherapy and immunoprophylaxis. 2: Immunotherapy]

The physiological immunodeficiency of preterm and term newborns is the major cause of their increased susceptibility to infections. Although nonspecific and specific host defence mechanisms are morphologically intact, there are functional and quantitative defects. Supportive immunotherapy is required to equalize these immunological defects. This article reviews topical possibilities for immunotherapy of neonatal sepsis (exchange transfusion, transfusion of fresh blood or fresh plasma, granulocyte transfusion, use of immunoglobulins, fibronectin, interferon and colony-stimulating factor).