Immunoglobulins in tears in trachoma patients

Tear immunoglobulin concentrations have been measured in 100 healthy people and 62 patients in different stages of trachoma. In healthy people the average IgA level was 27f8 mg/100 ml. There was no significant difference in the IgA level in various age groups and between the sexes. IgG was detected in 92 samples, and it was less than 1 mg/100 ml. IgM in tears was detected in only one sample. IgD was not detected in any specimen. In trachoma cases, the mean IgA level was found to be significantly lower (22f0 mg/l00 ml) than in healthy people. There was no significant difference in IgA level between different stages of trachoma. IgG, IgD, and IgM could not be detected in any sample from the trachoma cases.