Thirty-five per cent (13 of 37) of newborns, studied at less than 2 weeks of age, with congenital heart lesions, had abnormally high serum levels of both IgM (>20 mg/Ioo ml) and anti-heart IgM demonstrable by a fluorescent technique. An association between the raised serum IgM, reflecting in utero infection, and the congenital heart defects may be deduced. Possible explanations of the presence ...

Addition of reducing agents to competitive assays for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) eliminates apparent false reactivity of specimens obtained from individuals with no prior history of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and without other serological markers of HBV infection. We have purified and characterized a reduction-sensitive factor (RSF) isolated from the plasma of severa...

Congenital toxoplasmosis is associated with important morbidity and mortality. Since vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii can occur in acute cases, antenatal screening for recent infections is vital. Accurate determination of acute toxoplasmosis requires a combination of immunoassays, usually not routinely applied for screening purposes. This study evaluated the anti-T. gondii (IgG+IgM)/I...

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a biocompatible polymer that is often attached to therapeutic molecules to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Although antibodies with specificity for PEG may compromise the safety and effectiveness of PEGylated medicines, the prevalence of pre-existing anti-PEG antibodies in healthy individuals is unclear. Chimeric human anti-PEG antibody standards w...

BACKGROUND The anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) test has a high sensitivity and specificity for rheumatoid arthritis, although CCP is not the physiological target of the autoantibodies. Citrullinated fibrin is abundant in inflamed synovium OBJECTIVE To assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of antibodies against citrullinated fibrinogen (ACF), a soluble precursor of fibrin, in comp...

Objectives: To analyse the effect of infliximab on IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, and determine whether baseline autoantibody titres (IgM RF and anti-CCP antibodies) are associated with changes in acute phase reactants. Patients and methods: 62 patients with refractory RA were treated with infliximab combined with methotrexate. At baseline and...

Detection of specific antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most widely available test for viral diagnosis and monitoring of HCV infections. However, narrowing the serologic window of anti-HCV detection by enhancing anti-HCV IgM detection has remained to be a problem. Herein, we used LD5, a novel evolved immunoglobulin-binding molecule (NEIBM) with a high affinity for IgM, to develo...

Case report We present the case of a 54 year-old female patient, which was admitted to the Clinical Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Toma Ciorbă” with 38.5°C temperature, with epigastric and right hypochondriac pain, abdominal discomfort, and jaundice. The clinical exam showed abdominal tenderness on palpation in the epigastric region and in the right hypocondrium, the liver being 2-3 cm below...

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is an important pathogen of neonatal acquired pneumonia in newborns. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection is critical because timely antibiotic therapy can reduce drug overuse and prevent the development of bacterial resistance. Anti-M. pneumoniae immunoglobulin M (IgM) is an indicator of early infection that can persist for several month...