Function of peripheral blood and bone-marrow monocytes in preleukemic patients: normal phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Candida albicans.

Studies were performed to evaluate the function of peripheral blood and bone marrow monocytes from 15 patients with preleukemia and 16 healthy controls. The patients were grouped according to the criteria of the FAB collaborative group. No abnormality in phagocytosis and killing of Candida albicans by peripheral blood and bone marrow monocytes was found in patients compared to normal controls. Normal opsonization by autologous serum was found. No differences were found in this respect between the three groups of patients.