Assessment of four serological techniques in the immunological diagnosis of farmers' lung disease.
Farmers' lung disease (FLD) is a pulmonary disease that results from repeated inhalation of antigens from mouldy hay or straw. The objective of this prospective study was to assess the reliability of four serological techniques in FLD diagnosis. Sera from 15 consecutive patients with FLD, 15 healthy control farmers and 30 urban controls were analysed using four serological techniques [electrosyneresis (ES), Ouchterlony double diffusion (DD), ELISA and Western blot (WB)] with four antigens (Absidia corymbifera, Eurotium amstelodami, Wallemia sebi and Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula). In the authors' region, ES on cellulose acetate with A. corymbifera antigen was the most relevant diagnostic tool for discriminating FLD patients from healthy exposed farmers (sensitivity 87 %, specificity 100 %). DD tests were in accordance with ES, but their discriminatory power was lower. No threshold indicating both good sensitivity and specificity could be established with ELISA. WB analysis failed to identify specific bands for FLD. This study demonstrates the efficacy of determining precipitin levels with an appropriate technique, using a panel of antigens consistent with the specific exposure of a given area.
Reboux
Gabriel
G
Department of Mycology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Piarroux
Renaud
R
Department of Mycology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Roussel
Sandrine
S
Department of Mycology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Millon
Laurence
L
Department of Mycology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Bardonnet
Karine
K
Department of Mycology, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
Dalphin
Jean-Charles
JC
Department of Respiratory Disease, University Hospital, Besançon, France.
D020095:Absidia / Q000276:immunology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D003378:Counterimmunoelectrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D032641:Eurotiales / Q000276:immunology; D005203:Farmer's Lung / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion / Q000379:methods; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011234:Precipitins / Q000097:blood; D016930:Saccharopolyspora / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D011234:Precipitins