[Report on the application of various Kveim antigens in diagnostic of sarcoidosis (author's transl)].

In the Institute for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, Novi Sad, a total number of 1500 patients was tested with a Kveim antigen prepared in this institute. Simultaneously these patients were tested with other antigens (SILTZBACH, BEHREND, DOUGLAS). Almost identical results could be found. In patients with sarcoidosis the Kveim test was positive in 60 to over 90%, depending on the stage of the disease. Within a cooperation 230 patients of the Research Institute for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis, Berlin-Buch, were tested with several Kveim antigens since 1972. 2/3 of these patients were suffering from sarcoidosis. All patients received Kveim antigen prepared in Novi Sad; one part of them was also tested with Kveim antigens prepared in Berlin-Buch. Dependent on the quality of the material processed the percentage of positive results was different. They varied from 65 to 30%. If there were less granulomas in the original material, as for the tissue of a spleen, used in Berlin-Buch, only 30% of sarcoidosis patients showed positive results. Therefore it is profitable to analyse the difficulties and the possibilities of improving the Kveim test as a valuable and rather simple diagnostical method.