[Capacity of nitroblue tetrazolium-reduction of neutrophilic granulocytes (author's transl)]

A modification of the NBT-reaction is described which allows a differentiation of the NBT uptake and NBT-reduction. By means of this method it has been shown that the capacity of NBT-reduction of neutrophil granulocytes taken from hematologically healthy persons is independent of the probands' age and, moreover, of the presence of acute infections and their etiology. It has been shown, that the increase in the NBT-reduction of neutrophilic granulocytes of newborns and persons with acute bacterial infections results from an increased NBT-ingestion. To grive an example of a strongly reduced capacity of NBT-reduction of the neutrophilic granulocytes 2 patients suffering from fatal granulomatous disease in childhood have been examined.