The macrophage and host defense mechanisms.

Macrophages participate in a variety of host defense mechanisms. The delivery of macrophage precursors from the bone marrow to the tissues may be reduced with bone marrow failure and macrophage function may be impaired with certain virus infections such as herpes zoster or infectious mononucleosis. Defective macrophage function may impair cell mediated immunity more than humoral immunity which is manifested clinically by cutaneous anergy. One disease associated with chronic macrophage dysfunction is chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.