Abstract
Three cases of antibiotic-induced granulocytopenia were examined for their etiology using the GM colony formation technique. Examined in two cases were the effect of the drugs, convalescent serum, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells on their GM colony formation. Also examined in one case were the effect of the drug, acute phase serum and IgG on normal human GM colony formation.
Two principal results were derived. First, the coexistence of the drug, convalescent serum and mononuclear cells markedly suppressed the patient's GM colony formation. Second, the patient's IgG purified from acute phase serum suppressed normal human GM colony formation without the drug. These results suggest that the granulocytopenia developed via an immunological mechanism involving the drug, patient's serum and mononuclear cells.
