title: Immunity to tetanus: tetanus antitoxin and anti-BIIb in human sera.
abstract: Immunity to tetanus was investigated in 157 individuals aged between 1 and 77 years using, for the evaluation of both tetanus antitoxin and antibody to fragment BIIb (anti-BIIb), an easily performed ELISA that gave reproducible results. Among these people 72% were protected against tetanus (tetanus antitoxin titres greater than 0.06 IU ml-1). Anti-BIIb titres greater than 0.15 U ml-1 were found in 75% of the males vs 57% of the females (P less than 0.02) with marked variations according to age. Furthermore, 13 out of 41 individuals with antitoxin titres less than 0.06 IU ml-1 (not protected against tetanus) were found to have anti-BIIb titres greater than 0.15 U ml-1. These data raise questions as to the significance and protective effect of anti-BIIb against tetanus.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007110:Immunity, Active; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013742:Tetanus / Q000276:immunology*; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin / Q000032:analysis*; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000276:immunology*; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D013743:Tetanus Antitoxin; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid