title: IgM antibody to filarial antigens in human cord blood: possibility of transplacental infection.
abstract: In a hospital in Sri Lanka, antifilarial antibody in maternal and umbilical cord blood was determined by indirect immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and radio-immunoassay. Anti-filarial antibody was detected in 18 of 340 cord blood samples. Specific IgM antibody was detected in 12 cord blood samples. The foetal IgM antibody was probably in response to a transplacental transfer of filarial antigens. The exposure of the foetus to filarial antigens might be beneficial, increasing resistance to infection, or detrimental by inducing at least partial tolerance.
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005368:Filariasis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M