EN
The purpose of the work was to determine the spon- tenous and stimulated reduction of NBT by phagocytes of the peripheral blood in the process of subclinical hyperammonemia. The studies were performed in 10 sheep. The blood to the NBT test and the determination of ammonia was taken from the jugular vein to syringes with heparin. The experimental hyperammonemia was produced by the intravenous infusion of a ammonium acetate solution into the right jugular vein for three consecutive days. The blood was taken directly before, at 24, 48 and 72 hour during the course of the infusion and at 48 hour after the accomplishment of the infusion. It was found that nonspecific immunity consisting in the internal killing due to hydrogen hyperoxide in the neutrophiles of the peripheral blood was depressed during subclinical hyperammonemia; the same event had been observed earlier regarding the phagocytic activity of neutrophiles.