Can white blood cells “lose” to a germ in “combat”?

Question

I have heard infection talked about like a tiny war but do the germs attack and kill the white blood cells? Do they fight back?

In: 4

Answer 1

I’ve seen a few of these comments not quite answering how you hoped they would, so I’ll give it a crack.

In short yes, WBCs (Neutrophils, Macrophages) often die when interacting with fighting foreign bodies (germs).

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, when these cells die they release chemicals which attract even more WBCs to the site of infection – which is an important part of the body’s immune response.

You asked in another comment about MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) which is PARTICULARLY good at killing nearby White Blood Cells (particularly neutrophils), and also secreting enzymes which make neutrophils less dangerous.