<prompt> A patient with recurrent bacterial infections is diagnosed to have a genetic deficiency in myeloperoxidase. The cause of increased susceptibility to infections is -Defective neutrophil degranulationDefective production of prostaglandinsAn inability to produce hydroxyhalide radicalsDecreased oxygen consumption after phagocytosis  <response>: Ans. is c i.e., An inability to produce hydroxyhalide redicalso Myeloperoxidase in the presence of halide C1 conves H202 to hypochlorite HOCI. HOCI is a potent microbicidal agent that destroys microbes by halogenation or by oxidation of lipids and proteins. The H202 myeloperoxidase halide system is the most efficient bactericidal system in neutrophils. 