<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000791833</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ADVANCED BIOTHERAPY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADVB.OB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184683</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAPPS JOHN R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>P.O. BOX 13686</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64199-3686</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3333333</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to Stock Purchase Agreement (&quot;Agreement&quot;) between certain stockholders of Issuer (including Reporting Person) and Lime Energy Co. (&quot;LIME&quot;) in exchange for 7,080 shares of LIME common stock, on the closing date of March 3, 2009.  Selling stockholders under the Agreement each receive 0.002124 shares of LIME common stock in exchange for each share of issuer common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John R. Capps</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
