Diagnostic significance of serum orosomucoid level in bacterial infections during neonatal period

SUMMARY The concentration of serum orosomucoid was determined in 90 newborn infants by single radial immunodiffusion method. The values were low in both healthy full-term and pre-term infants. In 50 neonates with various bacterial infectlions, the orosomucoid levels showed a marked increase from the early stage of the disease. They returned to the normal range with the clinical improvement. In infants with non-infectious diseases, no elevation was detected in any stages of the disease. Thus the assay of serum orosomucoid concentration appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for bacterial infections in newborn infants.