The Diagnostic Value of the NBT-Test in the Case of Febrile Diseases

Abstract

The NBT-test was performed in 50 healthy persons, 17 cases of virus and Bedsonia infection, 21 cases of bacterial infection, 11 cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria, 4 cases of other infectious diseases, and 20 cases of non-infectious febrile disease. Elevated NBT % was found in 41% of the cases with virus infection, 71% of the cases with bacterial infection, 9% of the cases of asymptomatic bacteriuria, and in 50% of the cases of non-infectious febrile disease. Accordingly incubation of heparinized venous blood from healthy controls with bacterial and virus vaccines revealed varying NBT-responses. In addition possible methodological sources of error were investigated. It is concluded that the results of the NBT-test must be interpreted cautiously in the process of selection of patients with bacterial infections involving the systemic circulation.

Key Words:

• Incubation experiments
• infectious diseases
• methodological factors