[Nutrition and immunology].

Since at least 350 million children on our earth suffer from severe caloric and especially protein deficiency it is of utmost importance to know its relation to host defense. In the first part of this paper the already known facts about nutrition and immune response are summarized. Especially the negative effects on the humoral and cellular immune mechanism are critically reviewed. Another chapter deals with the trophogenic immunity; especially the significance of secretory IgA of lactoferrin and lactoperoxydase is pointed out. Recent scientific work disclosed some anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-mycotic properties of certain fatty acids.