Early activation of mucosal dendritic cells and macrophages in acute Campylobacter colitis and cholera: An in vivo study.

Background And Aim: Macrophages and dendritic cells are closely related mononuclear phagocytic cells. Little is known about their in vivo role in acute intestinal bacterial infections in humans. We undertook to evaluate these cells in rectal mucosal biopsies of patients with acute colitis.