[Neutrophilic nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test in the diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection].

The kinetics of a spontaneous peripheral blood neutrophilic nitroblue tetrazolium test (NBT-test) has been studied in neonatal infants. The reaction is shown to come to an end after 60-min reaction mixture thermostating, thereafter the proportion of activated neutrophils (PAN) does not change (PAN(infinity)). The reaction is described using the first-order kinetic equation that is similar to that having the rate constant k1. The calculations of PAN(infinity) and k1 allow a differential diagnosis of bacterial infections with and/or without pneumonia.