In this study, we analysed IgG avidity to p 15.5 kD, p 17 kD and p 47 kD antigens by a new avidity assay termed avidity western blot. The determination was performed in two groups. Group I consisted of 27 patients with primary and secondary syphilis and group II comprised 10 subjects with latent syphilis. We found that low avidity antibodies were directed against the p 17 kD and p 47 kD antigen...

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common among infants of HIV-infected mothers in resource-limited settings. We examined the prevalence and timing of infant CMV infection during the first year of life using IgG antibody and avidity among HIV-exposed infants in Malawi and correlated the results with the presence of detectable CMV DNA in the blood. The Breastfeeding, Antiretrovirals and Nutritio...

During the mass measles/rubella vaccination campaign in 2003 in Iran, many pregnant women were vaccinated mistakenly or became pregnant within 1 month of vaccination. To distinguish pregnant women who were affected by rubella vaccine as primary infection from those who had rubella reinfection from the vaccine, serum samples were collected 1-3 months after the campaign from 812 pregnant women. I...

A maternal Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy is a risk for congenital infection through maternal-fetal transplacental transmission. Estimation of the date of infection is of the utmost importance for management and treatment recommendations. In this setting, IgG avidity has been shown to be useful as high avidity rules out an infection dating less than 4 months. The estimated date of...

The development of IgG avidity assays has revolutionised serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma infections. The measurement of IgG avidity has shown its power in various clinical settings, especially in situations where timing and differentiation of primary and secondary infections is crucial. However, no laboratory test performed alone is self-sustained, whereby the diagnostic strategy of choice ...

In order to identify pathogenic correlates of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA), antibodies against anti-cyclic citrullinated protein (ACPAs) were investigated in RA patients in whom the dysregulated immune system had been ablated by high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Six patients with refractory RA were extensively characterized in t...

IgG avidity tests, which came on the scene recently with regard to most efficient use of time and early onset to the therapy, are considered in this study, and compared with Enzyme immunoassay(EIA). Serums of a total of 879 women in the first trimester of their gestations who referred to Dicle University, Faculty Hospital, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics in between the dates of 09 Apri...

The detection of IgA and low-avidity IgG and antibodies in serum is a potentially useful marker of recent infection by a microorganism. We studied the reliability of IgG avidity and presence of IgA for the diagnosis of recent acute infection by rubella virus. Low-avidity IgG (Avy-EIA test) was determined with a modified commercial test using 8 molar urea (indirect ELISA, DiaSorin, Italy) and Ig...

Anti-Toxoplasma IgG-avidity was determined in 168 serum samples from IgG- and IgM-positive pregnant women at various times during pregnancy, in order to evaluate the predictive value for risk of mother-to-child transmission in a single sample, taking the limitations of conventional serology into account. The neonatal IgM was considered the serologic marker of transmission. Fluorometric tests fo...