Detection of IgA against the mycobacterial antigen A60 in serum and saliva in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis: preliminary results.
Humoral immune response against the mycobacterial antigen A60 was evaluated in 38 subjects: 13 healthy volunteers (Group I), 10 patients with a defined acute or chronic non tuberculous lung disease (Group II), 15 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis (Group III). Saliva IgA in samples diluted in various concentrations (1:10, 1:30, 1:50) and serum IgG and IgA levels were measured by ELISA. Positive values of IgG were found in sera of 0/13 subjects from Group I, 1/10 from Group II, 12/15 from Group III; searching for IgA in serum was positive in 1/13 subjects from Group I, 2/10 from Group II, 11/15 from Group III, 1:30 dilution of saliva led to positive results in 0/13 subjects from Group I, 0/10 from Group II and 10/15 from Group III. The measurement of anti-A60 IgA levels in both saliva and serum might be a useful complement to serology based on detection of anti-A60 IgG in blood samples.
Cattedra di Microbiologia Clinica, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
M
M
Del Pezzo
M
M
Alifano
S
S
Faraone
R
R
Battiloro
R
R
De Pascalis
A
A
Lavitola
D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C055539:mycobacterial A60 antigen