[The localisation of urinary tract infections using the tetrazolium nitroblue test (author's transl)]

In order to study the value of the tetrazolium nitroblue test (TNB) in the localisation of urinary tract infections, the authors performed this test in 33 patients with a urinary tract infection and in 20 control children suffering from no bacterial infection. The 33 infected children were divided into three groups on the basis of clinical and bacteriological criteria (dysuria, frequency, fever, abdominal pain, inflammatory syndrome, immunofluorescence of bacteriuria, serum antibody levels): -- group A (8 children): upper urinary infection -- group B (14 children): lower urinary infection -- group C (11 children): urinary infection of undetermined site. The number and percentage of TNB positive polynuclears was significantly higher in the children of group A than in the children of group B (p 0.001). By contrast there was no significant difference between the results obtained: in the non-infected control group and in group B -- in group A and group C. These results, confirming a previous study by Bjorksten and de Chateau, show the value of the TNB test in the localisation of urinary tract infection in the child.