Search

A 17 year old girl died after an illness characterized by progressive mental deterioration and severe myoclonic jerks. Extensive pathological, virological, and immunological studies failed to support the diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis but were compatible with disseminated demyelinating disease. The spinal fluid was positive for measles virus antibodies when examined by the fluorescent antibody technique, by complement fixation, and by haemagglutination inhibition tests, but the antibody titres were not high. The concentration of vaccinia antibody in the serum was consistent with that found in the general population and none was detected in the spinal fluid. Animal and tissue culture studies failed to disclose a viral agent, but pathological sections revealed perivascular cellular infiltration, demyelination, rare inclusion bodies, and multinucleated giant cells. Although these studies were not definitive, a record of procedures used and results obtained, both positive and negative, may be helpful to other investigators interested in defining more accurately the clinical features and the pathogenesis of these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment and course of a benign enteric infection with Escherichia coli O127 was studied in adult mice specifically immunized by the parenteral and oral routes, and in infant animals born and suckling of mothers immunized with E. coli O127 antigens. Although parenteral injection of living, formalinized, or heat-killed E. coli resulted in the production of intestinal as well as circulating antibody, it had no effect on the establishment, course, or duration of colonization in adult mice. Neither active oral immunization with 0 antigen nor passive oral immunization with specific immune sera had any effect; oral infection with E. coli O127 did not reduce susceptibility to reinfection two to three months later. Enteric colonization of infant animals born and suckling of immune mothers was not inhibited, as judged by the 50% infectious dose or rates of natural colonization with E. coli O127 from their mother's stools. Although bacteremia with E. coli O127 was less frequent in infants of immunized mothers, these infants acquired E. coli in liver and spleen as did nonimmune infants. Findings suggest that colonization of the intestine with certain strains of E. coli is not significantly affected by local or circulating antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Rheumatoid anti-Gm(a) antibodies were shown to react with native Gm(a-) IgG. This reaction takes place with the CH3 domain (pFc' fragment) of IgG and is not due to anti-isotype specificities contaminating the test system. The reactivity of the Gm(a-) IgG is greatly increased by heat aggregation, and this increase is clearly related to the amount of aggregates formed. Rheumatoid anti-Gm(a) reacts with aggregated IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 Gm(g+) proteins but not with IgG3 Gm(b+) or IgG4 proteins. Thus there is a clear specificity in the reactions with aggregated IgG of different subclasses. Quantitative hemagglutination inhibition studies in the AutoAnalyzer suggested that the antigenic determinants of native and aggregated Gm(a+) or Gm(a-) IgG involved in the reaction with rheumatoid anti-Gm(a) were very similar. Furthermore, immunosorbent studies showed that the same population of rheumatoid anti-Gm(a) antibodies is reacting with the native and aggregated Gm(a+) and Gm(a-) IgG. Analogous findings were obtained using rheumatoid anti-Gm(b¹) and anti-Gm(g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenol-water extracted lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from four strains of fuso-bacteria were studied by hemagglutination and precipitation techniques. The results indicate that LPS from fusobacteria are serologically type specific. LPS from any one bacterial strain may contain more than one determinant group, carried by the same molecular complex. The determinant groups are of carbohydrate nature. Hemagglutination inhibition studies with mono- and disaccharides supported this concept and gave information on the chemical composition of one of four determinant groups detected in the four strains examined. Serologic activity of the protein component of LPS preparations could not be demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypothesis that the avian bone marrow is a site of actual antibody production has been experimentally verified in this study. Normal and neonatally bursectomized 8-week-old White Rock chickens were injected with guinea-pig red blood cells into the left femoral marrow or into the wing vein. The intramarrow administration of antigen proved to be as effective as the intravenous injection in inducing the production of haemagglutinins and antibody plaque response of 19S class. An important finding was that White Rock bursaless chickens were capable of synthesizing considerable amount of circulating 19S agglutinin after a single challenge with guinea-pig erythrocytes. There was a significant proliferation of plaque-forming cells in the spleen and bone marrow of normal immunized chickens. Quantitative cytological analysis revealed that an increase in the number of small and immature lymphocytes preceded the appearance of cells of the plasmacytic series in both antigen-injected marrow and contralateral non-injected marrow. The thymus and bursa did not exhibit apparent changes. This study provides strong evidence that chicken bone marrow may act in antibody production as a secondary lymphatic tissue. The results are discussed with respect to the interaction between thymus-derived, bursa-derived and bone marrow-derived cells in humoral immunity of the chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio-iodination is not a satisfactory method of labelling mouse antibody, which is peculiarly susceptible to destruction during the process of iodination. An alternative which causes very little loss of antibody is the attachment of a tritium-labelled amino acid to mouse γG by peptide linkage. This is accomplished by reaction of γG with DL-alanine N-carboxy anhydride under mild conditions. The method is applicable to estimation in vitro of the relative amounts of H-2 antibody absorbed by viable cells, and of the relative amounts of H-2 antigen on viable cells. Non-specific uptake is virtually eliminated by: (i) prior absorption of the labelled product in vivo, (ii) pre-incubation of the cells in 20 per cent foetal bovine serum and its inclusion in the suspending medium, and (iii) performance of absorption procedures in the cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensitive passive haemagglutination technique is described depending on the attachment of proteins to erythrocytes with glutaraldehyde. Various factors that play a role in the coupling of bovine serum albumin to sheep erythrocytes are examined. A standard procedure was deduced by which other proteins were coupled and tested with their specific antisera. The observed titres are comparable to those obtained with the classical bis-diazotized benzidine method. The technique is specific and practicable. It provides sensitized cells that remain stable for several weeks.

Peritoneal cells and spleen cells from LAF1 mice given three intraperitoneal immunizations of sheep red blood cells synthesized haemagglutinins after transfer to X-irradiated syngeneic recipients, either with or without a concomitant injection of antigen. Antibody formation by cells transferred with antigen resembled a secondary antibody response in intact animals. Haemagglutinin appeared rapidly and in high titre. Approximately 50 per cent of the antibodies were resistant to treatment with 2-mercaptoethanol. Antibody formation by cells transferred without further exposure to antigen differed in several respects. Haemagglutinin titres were lower. Throughout the period of observation, only 6-25 per cent of the antibodies formed were mercapto- ethanol-resistant. In recipients injected with spleen cells, antibodies appeared rapidly, suggesting that mature antibody-forming cells had been transferred. However, in recipients injected with peritoneal cells from the same donors, anti-bodies were detected only after a delay of several days, which suggested that mature antibody-forming cells had not been transferred. Haemagglutinins were synthesized equally well after transfer of all types of peritoneal cells or of a fraction consisting almost entirely of lymphoid cells. Recipients of peritoneal cells from donors which had been given either one intraperitoneal immunization or three intravenous immunizations had no or only low haemagglutinin titres, in contrast to recipients of cells from donors given three intraperitoneal immunizations. These observations suggest that antibody formation in recipients of peritoneal cells only, i.e. without further stimulation by antigen, can be attributed to cells which are present in the peritoneal cavity of donors immunized repeatedly by the intraperitoneal mute, but which are not part of the active antibody-synthesizing apparatus of the donors at the time of cell transfer. The development of these cells into antibody-forming cells can be detected only in an environment devoid of antigen and of mature antibody-forming cells. It is postulated that these cells are distinct from cells which respond on re-exposure to antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of antibody to goat erythrocytes has been studied in embryos and young chicks. Opsonizing antibody was measured by accelerated clearance of antigen and the sensitivity of this technique compared with haemagglutination tests. A wide range of immunizing doses of goat erythrocytes was used; all induced immunity. Small amounts of antibody were detected as early as the day of hatching but vigorous antibody production did not occur until 3 days later. An immune response could be induced in 12-day-old embryos and the most vigorous response was obtained by injection of 14-day-old embryos. Antibody production was relatively poor between the fifteenth day of embryonic life and 15 days after hatching. This was due to the presence of maternal antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INVESTIGATION of components of the H-2 antigen system in mice has been pursued in vitro by the methods of haemagglutination (Gorer and Mikulska, 1954), haemolysis (Hildemann, 1957), leucocyte agglutination (Amos, 1953), and cytotoxicity (Gorer and O'Gorman, 1956). Gorer and Amos (1956) demonstrated that passive immunity against the C57BL leukosis E.L.4 could be afforded not only by H-2 antibodies, but that antibodies directed against a further antigen which they named X had a protective effect. Attempts to demostrate cytotoxic antibodies against X in vitro have been unsuccessful. This work was undertaken to decide whether complement fixation would be a suitable method for tile detection of antibodies against X, and to provide data on its use for the study of the H-2 system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative quantitative estimations of tetanus toxoid by different methods have been made. The in vivo total combining power test is considered likely to give a true assessment of the combination of toxoid with antitoxin since it is based on the biological action of toxin. The haemagglutination inhibition test has been found to give good agreement with the in vivo test and it is cheap, sensitive and readily repeatable. Since the haemagglutination inhibition test can be performed with toxin or toxoid by the same method, it is possible to relate the quantitative estimation of toxoid to the L + dose of a routine test toxin, and thus to a standard antitoxin, which is convenient. Considerable discrepancies have been found between results in the flocculation test and the in vivo total combining power test, particularly with toxoids denatured by heat and phenol, or modified by formalin. Discrepanicies between the flocculation and in vivo tests with many preparations have been related to the concentration of residual free formalin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which determined the appearance and persistence of rubella antibody. Tests administered to determine rubella antibody; Antibody responses to acquired rubella; Variations in the hemagglutination inhibition antibody test procedures.

Skin tests for immediate hypersensitivity with penicillin derivatives and haemagglutination tests for penicilloyl-specific IgG and IgM antibodies are useful in the prevention, diagnosis and management of clinical adverse reactions mediated by IgE antibodies. In rare instances, the skin tests themselves may cause clinical adverse reactions. Under suitable conditions, hyposensitization or temporary loss of skin sensitivity can be successfully brought about, even in individuals with a high degree of immediate hypersensitivity. Delayed hypersensitivity plays a role in mediating certain non-urticarial forms of penicillin allergy, including some cases of exanthematous eruptions. The degree of delayed hypersensitivity consistently fluctuates to lower levels after administration of therapeutic doses of penicillin. Preliminary data are presented which suggest that infants who are given penicillin at birth form IgM penicilloyl-specific serum antibodies much less frequently and in lower titres than occur after penicillin therapy later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which described the hemagglutination reaction for viral hepatitis in several cases of proven nonviral obstructive jaundice. Clinical material used in the study; Other infectious diseases wherein the hemagglutination technique is utilized; Clinical value of the hemagglutination phenomenon in the differential diagnosis of obstructive jaundice in adults.

1. 120 cases of the nonjaundiced form of viral hepatitis were studied during an epidemic of icteric viral hepatitis. 2. All cases were diagnosed by the rhesus hemagglutination test for viral hepatitis, positive cephalin cholesterol flocculation, thymol turbidity tests and an enlarged or tender liver to abdominal palpation. 3. The nonicteric form of viral hepatitis in this series mimicked upper respiratory tract infections, a "cold", the influenza-like syndrome, or psycho-neurosis. 4. Clinical relapses and the danger of posthepatitis complications or sequela in the nonicteric form of viral hepatitis are discussed. 5. Attention is drawn to the frequent occurrence of the nonjaundiced form of viral hepatitis during epidemics of icteric viral hepatitis. Particular awareness of this condition should result in palpation of the liver for enlargement or tenderness in all suspected patients who complain of a "cold" or vague generalized symptoms, or who may present the "flu"-like syndrome. 6. The carrier state of viral hepatitis is discussed with particular reference to blood and plasma transfusions. 7. The hemagglutination test for viral hepatitis was found to be a valuable screening and diagnostic test which may have specificity for both infectious and homologous serum varieties of viral hepatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study that investigated the effect of the combined exclusion of commercial and hepatitis-B antigen-positive donors on the frequency and severity of post-transfusion hepatitis patients. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study.

Presents a study which compared the effects of the modes of bacillus Calmette-Gu é rin (BCG) vaccine administration in patients with malignant melanoma. Significance of BCG vaccine in the prevention of neoplasia; Immunological evaluation of the patients included in the study; Clinical features of the patients.

Presents a study which detected the immune responses of patients with hydralazine-induced lupus. Results of lymphocyte transformation tests; Immune responses of patients to nuclear antigens; Clinical manifestations of hydralazine lupus and systemic lupus.

Presents a controlled double-blind field trial of rubella vaccine conducted on postpubertal females. Immunologic response of the subjects; Methodology of the study; Discussion on the result of the study.

Presents a study on the serologic diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis in patients with acute leukemia. Methodology; Results; Discussion.

The authors describe the findings of antiglobulin testing of cord blood of 7,340 unselected newborn infants in the United States. An accepted diagnostic feature of hemolytic disease of the newborn due to isoimmunization by any of the Rh factor is a positive direct antiglobulin reaction with umbilical cord blood. Not so well documented is the usefulness of the direct antiglobulin test for the recognition of hemolytic disease associated with ABO grouping differences. Some believe the test to be generally negative or weakly positive in infants who clinically and hematologically have hemolytic disease related to ABO incompatibility, whereas others claim to find the direct test positive in 90 per cent of such infants.

Subunit influenza vaccines have the advantage of purity and a broad dosage range. Clinical studies were done with a new subunit vaccine produced by detergent fractionation with tri-(-butyl) phosphate (TNBP). Acceptability by the recipients was compared in volunteers given 400 CCA units of A and 300 of B Influenza vaccine as either Sharples, zonal centrifuged, ether subunit, or TNBP subunit bivalent vaccines. When given subcutaneously, subunit vaccine caused only slightly less pain and erythema induration than zonal or Sharples vaccine. Compared with the i.m. route, the same vaccine given subcutaneously produced twice the local pain and eight times the erythema induration. Fever was infrequent and low grade by either route. HI antibody rises were good in all groups. Increasing dosages of TNBP vaccine up to 6400 CCA units of A and 4800 of B given i.m. as monovalent vaccine, produced no local and few febrile responses. An augmentation of the antibody titre occurred with the highest CCA unit dosages. Subunit vaccine given i.m. permitted administration of high CCA unit dosage beyond that accepted for standard vaccine without any increase in local reactions and with a measurable increase in antibody production and the induction of antibodies against related heterologous strains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Proteins from human parotid saliva were separated by use of a standardized technique of electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. Several fractions were elated from the gel and studied by immunochemical methods (immunodiffusion, hemagglutination, and immunoelectrophoresis). The presence of IgA was demonstrated in the three slowest bands of the pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the effect of the use of formolized sheep red cells in the passive haemagglutination test for antisera to bovine serum albumin (BSA). Agglutination of formolized sheep erythrocytes by antisera to BSA; Factor implicated for the occurrence of such agglutination; Effect of the absorption of anti-BSA sera with formolized sheep cells.

Editorial. Comments on the serologic detection of gonorrhea. Use of complement-fixation or hemagglutination-inhibition reaction; Reliance of syphilis serology on flocculation and indirect fluorescent antibody testing; Origin of the concept of gonococcal serology.

Studies the accuracy of rubella history in women of childbearing age. Percentage of women population in childbearing age with serologic evidence of past natural rubella infection; Methodology of the study; Discussion on the results of the study.

This article discusses the concern expressed by obstetricians, pediatricians and general practitioners over the problem of unexplained non-isoimmunization hyperbilirubinemia in the neonatal period. Once blood typing of mother and infant and a negative Coombs' test have ruled out hemolytic disease, there is still the need for following serum bilirubin determination until levels have peaked appreciably before the attending physician can breathe and sleep easily. Implications for clinical pediatrics are also discussed by the article.

Discusses the laboratory diagnosis of Toxocara infections in children. Toxocara skin test; Detection of active infection by fluorescent-antibody test or by hemagglutination techniques, Confirmation of diagnosis by biopsy.