Ocular toxoplasmosis: evaluation of lacrimal - specific secretory IgA levels in both patients with active and inactive phases of the disease

Ocular toxoplasmosis can result in recurrent uveitis. Studies have shown that a correlation between active ocular toxoplasmosis and the presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii secretory IgA (SIgA) in tears. This study compares anti-T. gondii SIgA levels in patients' tears during the acute and inactive phases of toxoplasmic uveitis. Twenty-nine positive tear specific SIgA for T. gondii patients with acute toxoplasmic uveitis were selected and were followed-up for at least two years, when the anti-T. gondii SIgA tears levels were determined. Specific SIgA for T. gondii was negative in 22 patients (75.86 percent) and positive in seven patients (24.13 percent) of whom six (85.7 percent) were followed over three years. Average SIgA levels during the acute phase are 1.54 and decrease significantly to 0.72 (p = 0.0001) during the inactive phase of disease. Because anti-T. gondii SIgA in the tear is negative in 75.86 percent of patients after the acute phase of infection, T. gondii SIgA levels may be used as a complementary diagnostic marker for active ocular toxoplasmosis.

Anti-Toxoplasma gondii secretory IgA in tears of patients with ocular toxoplasmosis: immunodiagnostic validation by ELISA

Toxoplasma gondii causes posterior uveitis and the specific diagnosis is based on clinical criteria. The presence of anti-T. gondii secretory IgA (sIgA) antibodies in patients' tears has been reported and an association was found between ocular toxoplasmosis and the anti-T. gondii sIgA isotype in Brazilian patients. The purpose of this study was to provide an objective validation of the published ELISA test for determining the presence of anti-T. gondii sIgA in the tears of individuals with ocular toxoplasmosis. Tears from 156 patients with active posterior uveitis were analysed; 82 of them presented characteristics of ocular toxoplasmosis (standard lesion) and 74 patients presented uveitis due to other aetiologies. Cases of active posterior uveitis were considered standard when a new inflammatory focus satellite to old retinochoroidal scars was observed. The determination of anti-T. gondii sIgA was made using an ELISA test with crude tachyzoite antigenic extracts. Tears were collected without previous stimulation. Detection of sIgA showed 65.9 percent sensitivity (95 percent CI = 54.5-74.4), 71.6 percent specificity (95 percent CI = 59.8-81.2), a positive predictive value of 72 percent (95 percent CI = 60.3-81.5) and a negative predictive value of 65.4 percent (95 percent CI = 54.0-75.4). sIgA reactivity was higher in the tears of patients with active posterior uveitis due to T. gondii (p < 0.05). The test is useful for differentiating active posterior uveitis due to toxoplasmosis from uveitis caused by other diseases.

Quantitative analysis of antigen specific IgE in tears in comparison to serum samples.

We determined pollen specific IgE in tears and compared these results to the concentration of specific IgE in serum samples. We obtained tears (using Schirmer strips) and serum samples from subjects with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis, and tested for C. japonica pollen specific IgE using a quantitative ELISA. Time kinetic analyses through the pollen season showed that specific IgE levels in tears were found to increase earlier than those in sera and reached their maximum at the end of or after the pollen season, from March to early June. In the C. japonica pollen free season, July to December, the specific IgE levels in tears decreased, although the serum levels remained relatively high. These results indicate that the quantitative assay for specific IgE in tears might be useful to identify specific eye allergens.

Local immune response in mucopurulent conjunctivitis

Secretory immunoglobulin [I[g]A] and complement cleavage product C3 c in tear samples were studied in normal, acute and chronic Mucopurulent Conjunctivitis [MPC] using singlke radial immune diffusion technique. The results showed significant increase of both IgA and C3 c in acute cases. On the other hand, in chronic MPC the level of I[g]A was significantly increased, while the rise of C3 c level was insignificant. All the results are discussed

Esclerosis multiple test de los 4 humores: liquido cefalorraquideo, suero, lagrimas y saliva / Multiple sclerosis test or the 4 humors: cerebrospinal fluid serum, tears and saliva

Se estudiaron 4 fluidos biologicos de facil acceso a la exploracion inmune (liquido cefalorraquideo, suero, lagrimas y saliva) en 25 pacientes con Esclerosis Multiple (EM) obtenidos durante un empuje clinico de la enfermedad. El nivel del receptor de Interleukina-2 soluble (RsIL-2) se encontro significativamente aumentado en por lo menos 3 de estos 4 fluidos, en comparacion con el de los controles normales. La sensibilidad y especificidad de su determinacion para el diagnostico de la afeccion, fue mayor que la de otros parametros inmunoquimicos -distribucion oligoclonal (DO) de inmunoglobulinas (Ig), disbalance de cadenas livianas- y estudios electrofisiologicos -potenciales evocados-. Este metodo es utilizado para establecer un diagnostico mas certero de la Esclerosis Multiple asi como tambien para monitorizar su actividad biologica junto con la resonancia magnetica nuclear (RMN)

Clinico-immunological aspects of vernal catarrh in hilly terrains of Himachal Pradesh.

Very few immunological studies in vernal catarrh have been conducted in India and abroad, but none in Himachal Pradesh in spite of its high incidence in the State. In the present study 25 patients of vernal catarrh residing at a height ranging between 1000 to 2500 meters above mean sea level have been evaluated. Their immunological status of serum and tears after detailed clinical assessment was studied by single radial immunodiffusion technique of Mancini et al. The values of serum IgA and IgM were significantly higher in patients than in controls. The serum IgE level had no significant difference. The IgG was significantly lower in patients with vernal catarrh. The values of tear IgM, IgE and IgA in these patients were significantly higher than in controls. However, in no case or control group C3C and C4 were detected in tears. The limbal type of vernal catarrh was found to be the most common in this part of the country. No mixed case was seen. Derangement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of vernal catarrh is suggested.

Comparative and correlative study of level of IgA in tears and serum in children and adults [healthy subjects]

In the present work, a correlative and comparative study of serum IgA and tear IgA concentrations in normal subjects were done and both were compared in relation to age. For this purpose forty normal subjects were selected and divided into 2 equal groups: I. The children group includes individuals with age ranging from 5-13 years. 2. The adult group includes individuals with age ranging from 15-47 years [8 females and 12 males]. We obtained blood and tear samples from each case and estimations of serum IgA and tear IgA was done [using radial immune diffusion technique]. The obtained results showed that in adult age there is always a certain degree of correlation between age and both serum and tear IgA levels [positive correlation], as well as between serum and lacrimal IgA levels [negative correlation]. While in young age, correlation only existed between age and tear IgA levels, moreover this correlation was of a negative type i.e. the younger the child the higher the value of tear IgA level. According to our findings, namely absence of significant correlation between serum IgA and tear IgA in children and the negative correlation between serum IgA and tear IgA in adults, one may conceivably postulate that the production of tear IgA is a local process and not a simple transduction from serum

Dosagem de lisozima na lágrima de recém-nascidos / Lysozyme concentration in tears of newborn babies

A concentraçäo de lisozima lacrimal foi medida pelo método da lisoplaca em 47 recém-nascidos divididos em 3 grupos; 22 de termo, 11 de termo com baixo peso e 14 prematuros. A concentraçäo de lisozima foi maior no grupo de termo comparando-se com o grupo de baixo peso e prematuros e seus valores aumentaram com peso e idade gestacional dos recém-nascidos

Estudo imunológico da lágrima nas granulomatoses de causa inalatória / Immunological study of lacrimal secretion in inhalatory induced granulomatosis

O segmento anterior do globo ocular, mais particularmente a conjuntiva, constitui um modelo experimental de "órgäo de choque" em relaçäo a agentes agressores ambienciais. Face à hipótese de existir uma reaçäo imunológica de defesa, os autores estudam em particular a vertente humoral desta. Neste sentido, analisam um grupo de doentes com exposiçäo aerogénea, alguns deles com manifestaçöes patológicas, classificadas por outros como Granulomatoses de Causa Inalatória. Säo doseados, na secreçäo lacrimal, as imunoglobulinas dos tipos A, G, E e M. Comentam-se os resultados