title: Susceptibility to infection in patients with neutropenia: the role of the innate immune system.
abstract: Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia increases the risk of infection. There appears to be a wide variability in the severity and length of infective episodes. Susceptibility to infections is determined by the underlying malignant disease and its treatment, environmental factors (e.g. nutritional state of the patient and hygiene) and genetically determined variations of the immune system. The majority of primary immunodeficiencies are rare (c. frequency one in 10 000), whereas some genetic polymorphisms in the innate immune system, such as profound mannose-binding lectin deficiency, are much more common (c. frequency one in 10). Here, we review the potential role of the innate immune system in determining susceptibility to infections in patients with neutropenia.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Unit, Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: O W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Neth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajaj-Elliott
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D037241:Mannose-Binding Lectins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic