Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1973 Jan;26(1):52–56. doi: 10.1136/jcp.26.1.52

Routine application of the nitroblue tetrazolium test in the clinical laboratory

A M Gordon 1,2, R M Rowan 1,2, T Brown 1,2, H G Carson 1,2
PMCID: PMC477649  PMID: 4632760

Abstract

A modified nitroblue tetrazolium test (NBT) is described which is suitable for routine application in the haematology or bacteriology laboratory and which provides a rapid aid to the diagnosis of bacterial infection.

Hitherto published methods have recommended the use of heparinized whole blood samples for the performance of the NBT test. However, we have demonstrated that the use of the sucrose polymer Ficoll permits the test to be carried out on buffy coats prepared from venous blood anticoagulated in sequestrene (EDTA).

The mean percentage of NBT-positive neutrophils in 60 healthy control subjects was 6·1. The mean percentage of NBT-positive neutrophils in 56 patients with confirmed or presumed bacterial infection was 34·2. Scores within the normal range were observed in 13 patients in this group. Forty-eight individuals with viral infection yielded a mean percentage of NBT-positive neutrophils of 8·5. Six patients in this group gave scores above the upper limit of normal.

Both pathological groups are described in detail and applications of this test are suggested.

Full text

PDF
52

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Andersen B. R. N.B.T. test in malaria. Lancet. 1971 Aug 7;2(7719):317–317. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91362-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G., Karnovsky M. L. Correction of metabolic deficiencies in the leukocytes of patients with chronic granulomatous disease. J Clin Invest. 1970 May;49(5):865–870. doi: 10.1172/JCI106305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G. Leukocyte oxidase: defective activity in chronic granulomatous disease. Science. 1967 Feb 17;155(3764):835–836. doi: 10.1126/science.155.3764.835. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G. Quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium test in chronic granulomatous disease. N Engl J Med. 1968 May 2;278(18):971–976. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196805022781801. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Chretien J. H., Garagusi V. F. N.B.T. test in parasitic disease. Lancet. 1971 Sep 4;2(7723):549–549. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)90473-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Elgefors B., Olling S. N.B.T. test in viral meningitis. Lancet. 1972 Apr 29;1(7757):967–967. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)91539-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Esposito R., DeLalla F. N.B.T. test in bacterial meningitis. Lancet. 1972 Apr 1;1(7753):747–748. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)90262-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Feigin R. D., Shackelford P. G., Choi S. C., Flake K. K., Franklin F. A., Jr, Eisenberg C. S. Nitroblue tetrazolium dye test as an aid in the differential diagnosis of febrile disorders. J Pediatr. 1971 Feb;78(2):230–237. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(71)80005-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Freeman R., King B. A modification to the N.B.T. test. Lancet. 1971 Nov 20;2(7734):1154–1154. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91312-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Freeman R., King B. N.B.T. test and mycoplasma. Lancet. 1972 Apr 29;1(7757):962–962. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)91529-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Humbert J. R., Kurtz M. L., Hathaway W. E. Increased reduction of nitrobule tetrazolium by neutrophils of newborn infants. Pediatrics. 1970 Jan;45(1):125–128. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Jones R. S., Godfrey S., Silverman M., Anderson S. D. Exercise asthma. Lancet. 1972 Mar 4;1(7749):533–533. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)90195-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Matula G., Paterson P. Y. Spontaneous in vitro reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by neutrophils of adult patients with bacterial infection. N Engl J Med. 1971 Aug 5;285(6):311–317. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197108052850603. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Park B. H., Fikrig S. M., Smithwick E. M. Infection and nitroblue-tetrazolium reduction by neutrophils. A diagnostic acid. Lancet. 1968 Sep 7;2(7567):532–534. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)92406-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Stuart J., Simpson J. S. Dehydrogenase enzyme cytochemistry of unfixed leucocytes. J Clin Pathol. 1970 Sep;23(6):517–521. doi: 10.1136/jcp.23.6.517. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wollman M. R., David D. S., Brennan B. L., Lewy J. E., Stenzel K. H., Rubin A. L., Miller D. R. The nitroblue-tetrazolium test. Usefulness in detecting bacterial infections in uraemic and immunosuppressed renal transplant patients. Lancet. 1972 Aug 12;2(7772):289–291. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)92902-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES