HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Linscott, W. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Linscott, W. D.

Immune-Adherence with Leptospira Antigens

II. STUDIES ON HYPERIMMUNE, CONVALESCENT AND NORMAL SERA

From the Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Center, University of California at Los Angeles, California

Abstract

The immune-adherence (I-A) and microscopic agglutination (M-A) tests with living Leptospira antigens have been compared by parallel testing of hyperimmune and convalescent sera. Although there is good correlation between the two tests with regard to specificity, the I-A test is decidedly more sensitive. When excess complement could be used, allowing the attainment of maximal sensitivity, I-A titers were 50 to 500 times as high as the corresponding M-A titers. A serologic procedure of such great sensitivity may be of value in certain aspects of Leptospira research.

It has been shown that the sera of normal guinea pigs contain antibody-like substances which cause leptospirae to attach to human erythrocytes in an I-A reaction. This natural adherence activity is specific for particular serotypes and among random bred guinea pigs may vary considerably from one individual to another. Among inbred animals the variation observed appears to be reduced.

Footnotes

¹ Present address: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratories of Microbiology, 1550 Northwest Tenth Avenue, Miami 36, Florida.