Neutropenia is seen in approximately half the patients with HIV infection. It is mild in most instances; however, it can be severe and place patients at risk of spontaneous bacterial infections. This is usually seen in patients receiv-ing any of a number of myelosuppressive therapies used in the treatment of HIV infection and its complications. Neutropenia contributes to life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections. Sixty percent of patients with neutrope-nia who develop fever will have an infection.46 The risk of these infections increases with the amount of time the neutrophil count is low (