Serum IgG subclasses levels in paediatric patients with pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the IgG subclass levels of patients admitted to Harare Central Hospital paediatric wards with pneumonia.


METHODS
A cross sectional study.


METHODS
Harare Central Hospital, Departments of Immunology and Paediatrics, University of Zimbabwe; Department of Paediatric Immunology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.


METHODS
56 paediatric patients.


METHODS
IgG subclass profiles of children with pneumonia.


RESULTS
Of the 56 children tested, 40 (71%) had antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The levels of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses were significantly higher in HIV antibody positive children (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 respectively) than in those without detectable HIV antibodies in their sera. There was no significant relationship between IgG subclass levels and the presence of HIV p24 antigen. Furthermore, age and gender also had no significant influence on the levels of IgG subclasses in this population.


CONCLUSIONS
High levels of IgG1 and IgG3, but not IgG2 and IgG4, occur frequently in children with pneumonia and are associated with the presence of HIV antibodies.
Department of Immunology, University of Zimbabwe Medical School, P O Box A178, Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe.
L R
LR
Mazengera
K J
KJ
Nathoo
S
S
Rusakaniko
B J
BJ
Zegers
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D007074:Immunoglobulin G