Bactericidal activity of neutrophils of schizophrenic patients.

Bactericidal activity of neutrophils of 28 patients diagnosed as schizophrenic were studied by the nitroblue tetrazolium tests. The results were compared with those obtained from three control groups consisting of: 21 other mental patients, 21 out-patients diagnosed as suffering from bacterial infection and 20 semi-resident hospital staff. The results show that the schizophrenics had a greater incidence of subclinical bacterial infection than the two control groups and that their neutrophils had a lower bactericidal reserve than those of the control groups. These differences were statistically significant.