Mechanisms of pustule formation in cutaneous bacterial and viral infections: alterations of neutrophil membrane surface receptors

Changes in membrane surface receptors have been demonstrated by rosetting methods in polymorphonuclear leukocytes obtained from the pustules of different infectious dermatoses. There was a distinct difference in numbers of receptors in neutrophils from bacterial and viral pustules, i.e., C₃b receptors were decreased on neutrophils from both bacterial and viral pustules, whereas IgG‐Fc receptors were decreased only in neutrophils from viral pustules. The difference appears to be due to variations in the defence mechanisms against the invading micro‐organisms.