Galvidis, I.A., Burkin, M.A., Sviridov, V.V.

Identi­fication of heterologous antitoxin in sera of patients with diphtheria

Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia

Using immobilized diphtheria toxin and peroxidase conjugate of monoclonal antibodies to light chains of equine immunoglobulin a method of quantification of equine antibodies against diphtheria in sera of patients after serotherapy was developed. The sensitivity of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was 0.0005 IU/ml, and coefficient of variation did not exceed 10%. It was shown that in patients with toxic diphtheria heterologous antitoxin is eliminated within 4 — 6 weeks. Level of anti-diphtheria immunoglobulin under the similar severity of disease and dosage of antitoxin can vary in wide ranges and depends from individual’s characteristics.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2008, No. 6, P. 47—49