[New capacities of the phagocytic test used in pediatric phthisiology].

The paper presents the results of a study of the phagocytic activity of leukocytes (PAL) in 98 healthy children, vaccinated with BCG, in different periods after immunization and in 68 children with tuberculous infection (39 children with tuberculosis and 29 Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected children). An improved procedure for studying PAL was used, in which sheep erythrocytes of two types ("antigenic" and those with a complex of antigen + antibody + antigen), which may differentiate the phase of bacteremia and immune synthesis, were used as an object for phagocytes. In the limited number of vaccinated children, bacteremia were detectable up to 9 months; the phase of immune synthesis continued in most children up to 3 years. The study has demonstrated that a complex of phagocytic tests may be used for the early diagnosis of tuberculous infection, for the evaluation of a tuberculous process and antituberculous immunity.