title: Granulocyte abnormalities in parenteral drug-addicts. The influence of HIV infection.
abstract: In the present paper we studied the phagocytic capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and their capacity to adherence to substrates, in parenteral drug-addicts with or without HIV infection. Our results show a significant decrease in the phagocytic index of drug-addicts, which is independent of the coexistence of an HIV infection. The simultaneous presence of this virus leads to the emergence of alterations in the leukocytic adhesiveness, with a decrease in adhesiveness that is more marked in AIDS patients. The simultaneous association of drug addiction with AIDS leads to the impairment of these two stages in the leukocyte defense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Maroto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piédrola
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D010587:Phagocytosis