Phytohaemagglutinin-induced leukocyte migration inhibition and phytohaemagglutinin skin test for screening the cell-mediated immune response in children.

Phytohaemagglutinin-induced leukocyte migration inhibition was studied in 72 children and compared with phytohaemagglutinin skin testing. The methods were used for screening the cell-mediated immune response. The in vitro method, which requires only 10-15% of the number of migrating cells as compared with other migration techniques, proved to be more sensitive, but gave some false-positive results when compared with other immunological parameters. Nevertheless, application of the microdroplet leukocyte migration is advantageous, used either simultaneously with the skin test, or as a single screening method in prematures, mature newborns and young infants, where application and/or evaluation of the skin tests is difficult.