Pyogenic Infections Clinical Trial
Official title:
The Ability of Neutrophils From Patients With Recurrent Infections to Produce Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NET).
We aim to study if pathological NETs formation could be the underlying pathology among patients with recurrent infections and a normal screening of the immune system.
Our laboratory at Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, is the country's main center for
neutrophil function, and serves about 80% of Israel's population. Patients are referred
subsequent to recurrent, persistent, or unusual infections and after completing preliminary
screening of the immune system and ruling out a humoral, cellular or complement immune
deficiency. Initial workup includes chemotaxis, superoxide production (SOP), and
bactericidal activity (BA). Based on test findings, further evaluation for a qualitative
phagocytic disorder is conducted. Overall, impairment of phagocytic activity is found in
about 33% (impaired chemotaxis in 16%, SOP in 6%, and BA in 24%). In the other 67%, no
impairment of the immune function is found that can explain their tendency for recurrent
pyogenic infections.
In 2004 a novel function of the neutrophil was identified: formation of neutrophil
extracellular traps (NETs). Apparently, neutrophils are able to extrude part of their
cellular contents in the form of DNA, histones and proteases, to form extra cellular NETS
that trap and kill bacterial pathogens without the need for phagocytosis. We aim to study if
pathological NETs formation could be the underlying pathology among these patients with
recurrent infections and a normal screening of the immune system.
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Observational Model: Case Control, Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional