[Iron and infection. I. Iron and "nutritional immunity". The leukocytic endogenous mediator].

With reference to the studies carried out in the Center of Hematology, Bucharest, the authors review recent publications concerning the correlation between iron metabolism and infection, and emphasize the importance of iron deficiency within the framework of nutrition-infection-immunity relationship, and the role of iron in antinfectious defence. Among the metabolic responses of the host organism to infection is the early redistribution of essential oligoelements, known as "nutritional immunity", which is discussed in detail. Data refering to the leukocytic endogenous mediator are given.

[Normal values of the neutrophil granulocyte adhesion test in the peripheral blood of adults].

After emphasizing the importance of adhesion of cells to a substrate as fundamental biological phenomenon, the authors discuss recently published data concerning adhesion of human neutrophil granulocytes and the clinical implications of its deficiency, showing the method developed in the Center of Haematology, Bucharest, based upon the Taga-Sturdza procedure and the works of Gifford and Malawista. The study included 82 young healthy subjects. The normal mean adhesion index in women was 5.

[Normal values of the spontaneous cytochemical NBT test in adults].

The description is given of a working method adapted after Park, Fikrig and Smithwick, for testing the capacity of neutrophils to reduce tetrazolium nitroblue salts spontaneously. In contrast to the original technique, the present method uses : 10-20 units indigenous heparin/ml blood, leukocyte concentrate, other reaction times at 37 degrees C, contrast staining with a week Giemsa solution. Applied to young healthy subjects, the mean proportion of NBT-positive neutrophils was of 4.