BACKGROUND Mycoplasma pneumoniae continues to be a significant cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A more definitive methodology for reliable detection of M. pneumoniae is needed to identify outbreaks and to prevent potentially fatal extrapulmonary complications. METHODS We analyzed 2 outbreaks of CAP due to M. pneumoniae. Nasopharyngeal and/or oropharyngeal swab specimens and serum ...

background and purpose: although molds are regarded as the main fungal allergen sources, evidence indicates that spores of basidiomycota including agaricus bisporus (a. bisporus) can be also found at high concentrations in the environment and may cause as many respiratory allergies as molds. the aim of the present study was to evaluate specific immunoglobulin e (ige) and immunoglobulin g (igg) ...

The review of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis by Smith elegantly highlights the lack of evidence available in some areas. In particular, approach to immunological testing is varied. Table 2 on page 134 in this review describes the diagnostic features required for immunodeficiency (including immunoglobulin G [IgG] subclass 2 deficiency amongst other IgG subclass deficiencies). However, IgG su...

Serum from a patient with the CREST Syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus contained an IgM antibody that reacted at dilutions up to 1:800 with a fibrous cytoplasmic network in several epithelioid and fibroblastic cell lines. The antibody was shown by immunofluorescence microscopy to label a specific subset of cytoskeletal polymers, the intermediate filaments. The reactive antigen from this ...

Since the incidence of symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection is low (~0.05%) and risk factors are not well defined, it is difficult to develop strategies for prevention. The aim of this study was to recognise the utility of specific Immunoglobulin G avidity analysis for distinguishing primary infection from past/recurrent infection. Sera from 50 women with cytomegalovirus specific Im...

The idiotypic determinants on IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) from a single family have been analyzed. Rabbit Fab'2 antiidiotypic antibody was prepared against purified IgM-RF from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. As measured by radioimmunoassay, the antiidiotype reacted with at least 90% of the patient's RF, but not with non-RF immunoglobulins from the same serum, nor with 10 of 11 polyclonal a...