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Studies with human leukocyte lysosomes. Evidence for antilysosome antibodies in lupus erythematosus and for the presence of lysosomal antigen in inflammatory diseases.

Human lysosomes were isolated from normal peripheral blood leukoyctes and characterized by electron microscopy, enzyme analysis, and assays for DNA and RNA. Stored sera from 37 unselected patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including active and inactive, treated and untreated cases, were tested in complement fixation (CF) reactions with these lysosome preparations. 23 SLE sera exhibited positive CR reactions, as did sera from two patients with "lupoid" hepatitis. The seven SLE sera with strongest CF reactivity also demonstrated gel precipitin reactions with lysosomes. Neither CF nor precipitin reactions with lysosomes were observed with normal sera or with sera of patients with drug-induced lupus syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyositis, or autoimmune hemolytic anemia. By several criteria the antilysosome CF and precipitin reactions of SLE sera cound not be attributed to antibody to DNA, RNA, or other intracellular organelles. The lysosomal component reactive with SLE sera in CF assays was sedimentable at high speed and is presumably membrane associated. The CF activity of two representative SLE sera was associated with IgG globulins by Sephadex filtration. A search for lysosomal antigen in SLE and related disorders was also made. By employing rabbit antiserum to human lysosomes in immunodiffusion, a soluble lysosomal component, apparently distinct from the sedimentable (membrane-associated) antigen described above, was identified in serum, synovial fluid, or pleural fluid from patients with SLE, RA, ankylosing spondylitis, and leukemoid reaction. An antigenically identical soluble component reactive with the rabbit antiserum could be released in vitro from intact lysosomes by repeated freeze-thaw cycles..

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗

Antinuclear antibody with distinct specificity for polymyositis.

In the course of studying antinuclear antibodies in the rheumatic diseases, a new precipitin reaction (provisionally referred to as PM-1) was observed between calf thymus nuclear extract and polymyositis sera. Objectives of this study were to further define the immunologic nature of this reaction and to determine its specificity for polymyositis. Immunodiffusion studies using calf thymus nuclear extract revealed the PM-1 precipitin line in 17 of 28 patients with polymyositis. This reaction was not produced by sera of 460 patients with other diseases. Enzyme and heat treatments of the nuclear extract showed that PM-1 was distinct from native DNA, ribonucleoprotein, and Sm antigens. Fractionation of PM-1-positive serum by 30% ammonium sulphate and Sephadex G-200 chromatography revealed that the factor producing the PM-1 precipitin reaction was in a serum fraction which showed only IgG by immunoelectrphoresis against anti-whole human serum. Because of the apparent strong specificity, the PM-1 system may represent a marker antibody for polymyositis.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

HLA-DQ gene complementation and other histocompatibility relationships in man with the anti-Ro/SSA autoantibody response of systemic lupus erythematosus.

A strong gene interaction between HLA-DQ1 and DQ2 alleles has been associated with anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies (Harley, J.B., M. Reichlin, F. C. Arnett, E. L. Alexander, W. B. Bias, and T. T. Provost. 1986. Science [Wash. DC]. 232:1145-1147; Harley, J. B., A. S. Sestak, L. G. Willis, S. M. Fu, J. A. Hansen, and M. Reichlin. 1989. Arthritis Rheum. 32:826-836; Hamilton, R. G., J. B. Harley, W. B. Bias, M. Roebber, M. Reichlin, M. C. Hochberg, and F. C. Arnett. 1988. Arthritis Rheum. 31:496-505). To test a gene complementation mechanism for these results, restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of the DQ alpha and DQ beta genes have been related to Ro/SSA precipitins in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study Ro/SSA precipitins are related to the simultaneous presence of a particular pair of RFLPs. A DQ alpha RFLP associated with HLA-DQ1 and a DQ beta RFLP associated with HLA-DQ2 predict that the alpha beta heterodimer in HLA-DQ1/DQ2 heteroxygotes is most closely related to anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies, thereby supporting a gene complementation mechanism. Beyond this effect, an RFLP associated with HLA-DQ2 and/or DR7 is also related to Ro/SSA precipitins. Multiple molecular histocompatibility mechanisms are implicated, therefore, in the production of anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies in autoimmune disease. For anti-Ro/SSA autoantibodies in SLE, and perhaps more generally, these data show that the histocompatibility antigens are among the elements that confer autoimmune response specificity and restrict the production of particular autoantibodies among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Autoantibodies↗

Relative increase in IgG antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60-kDa GroEL in prediabetic patients with cystic fibrosis.

In recent years research has focused on a possible connection between bacterial infection and development of diabetes mellitus. In this study, serum antibody responses against bacterial antigens in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were evaluated. The first part of the study included 252 CF patients of whom 46 (18 %) had diabetes. This study showed that precipitating antibodies (precipitins) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other bacteria in crossed immunoelectrophoresis, and IgG antibodies against a 60-kD GroEL of P. aeruginosa, were highly variable and positively correlated with age. Patient material matched for age and sex showed no significant difference between diabetic and nondiabetic CF patients in precipitins or IgG antibodies to P. aeruginosa GroEL. Two longitudinal studies of 9 and 5 y using retrospectively selected sera from 29 prediabetic and 29 cross-matched nondiabetic CF patients were performed. As to precipitins against P. aeruginosa, we found no difference between the prediabetic and the nondiabetic group of patients during the study period. The study revealed, however, a significant increase of 24.6 % (p = 0.008) of IgG antibodies against P. aeruginosa 60-kD GroEL, 3-12 mo before the onset of diabetes in patients with CF, compared with an overall increase of 5 % to 6 % per year in both groups during the observation period. This study shows that diabetes in CF appears after a peak of serum IgG antibodies against GroEL and indicates that development of diabetes in CF patients may not only be caused by a progressive fibrosis of the pancreatic tissue, but may be augmented by a short-term specific immunologic reaction, initially triggered by an ongoing and progressive pulmonary infection.

Adolescent↗

Experimentally induced autoantibody to heat-stable alkaline phosphatase in the baboon.

Experimental evidence has been collected which signifies that autoantibody has been induced against lung heat-stable alkaline phosphatase which represented 60% of the total alkaline phosphatase of that tissue. Immunization of a male baboon with highly purified human placental alkaline phosphatase (heat-stable and cross-reactive with the baboon heat-stable enzyme) resulted in production of a precipitating factor in the immune serum which reacted with the heat-stable enzyme of both the human and baboon but not the heat-labile form of alkaline phosphatase of either species. This precipitating factor is a baboon autoantibody because 1) it had a gamma mobility on immunoelectrophoresis and retarded the electrophoretic mobility of the heat-stable enzyme from both normal and immunized baboons; 2) its titer increased as more booster injections were administered; 3) it formed a well-defined precipitin rocket with the baboon heat-stable enzyme in the Lurell's antigen-antibody crossed electrophoresis; 4) in immunodiffusion it formed a discrete precipitin line with the baboon heat-stable enzyme, which fused partially with the precipitin line of human placental alkaline phosphatase (immunogen).

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Autoantibodies to the Ro/SSA antigen are conformation dependent. I: Anti-60 kD antibodies are mainly directed to the native protein; anti-52 kD antibodies are mainly directed to the denatured protein.

Recent studies have shown that Ro/SSA autoantigen is heterogeneous and the autoanti-Ro/SSA response is correspondingly heterogeneous. There are two isoform families; the 60 kD forms and the 52 kD forms. We studied the antigenic difference between the native and denatured Ro/SSA isoforms and found that the autoanti-Ro/SSA response to the native 60 kD antigen is quite homogeneous. All anti-Ro/SSA sera recognize the native kD antigen regardless of the reactivities to the 60 kD band on the Western blot. Surprisingly, no anti-Ro/SSA sera without anti-La/SSB reacts with the native 52 kD Ro/SSA, although sera with both precipitating anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB can immunoprecipitate the native 52 kD antigen. Anti-Ro/SSA sera exist which react exclusively with the native 60 kD Ro/SSA protein (10/43, 23%) while no anti-Ro/SSA sera have been found which react exclusively with the denatured 52 kD Ro/SSA antigen. In sera with anti-Ro/SSA precipitins alone, only antibody to the denatured 52 kD Ro/SSA molecule is found! In sera with anti-Ro/SSA and anti-U1 RNP precipitins, no antibody to either native or denatured 52 kD Ro/SSA is found, while in sera with both anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB precipitins, antibodies to both the native and denatured forms of 52 kD Ro/SSA are present. These data suggest that the anti-Ro/SSA response to the 60 kD molecule is driven by the native 60 kD Ro/SSA molecule while the molecular identification of the antigen drive in the anti-52 kD Ro/SSA response is unknown.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

[Immunoelectrophoresis For Anthelmintics Evaluation Against Experimental Paragonimiasis]

Paragonimiasis is one of the most important endemic diseases in Korea. However, recognition of the limitation of microscopic examination of sputum and feces for Paragonimus eggs has led to the investigation of immunoserological techniques for paragonimiasis. The other hand, bithionol preparation has been used as a drug of choice in paragonimiasis but recently niclofolan preparation has introduced as a new agent. By the time, the authors attempted the evaluation of above both agents against experimental rat paragonimiasis by immunoelectrophoresis and Ouchterlony test. The immunoeletrophoresis and Ouchterlony tests were performed according to the method Tsuji and Grabar et Williams respectively, with antigen extracted from lyophilized worm of P. westermani with 0.1 per cemt saline solution. Meanwhile, rats were infected with per os 20 metacercariae of P. westermani above two kinds of serologic tests and were undertaken at biweekly intervals. Then, bithionol was administered every other day for 5 successively for 2 weeks or 6 weeks after infection. Another groups, niclofolan was administered per os single dose same as above. 1. The sera from the rats infected with P. westermani, after treatment with bithionol or niclofolan preparations began to show the precipitin bands against P. westermani antigen 8 weeks after the infection in immunoelectrophoresis and Ouchterlony test, but from 10 or 12 weeks after infection, the number of bands were decreased or disappeared gradually. 2. In genera1, the sera from the rats treated with bithionol or niclofolan showed the precipitin bands delaying 2 weeks than control rat groups. 3. The sera from the rats administered with hydrocortisone showed precipitin bands neither in immunoelectrophoresis nor in Ouchterlony test.

Journal Article↗

[Comparison Of Agar-Gel Diffusion Tests, Counterimmunoelectrophoresis And Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay In The Sera Of Skin Test Positives For Paragonimiasis]

Agar-gel diffusion test (AGD), counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were examined with the sera of skin test positives for paragonimiasis. The crude antigen(Paragonimus whole worm extracts: protein concentration, 7.56mg/ml) and human sera were used in AGD and CIEP. And in ELISA test, diluted antigen with 1:40,000 of crude antigen and diluted sera with 1:100, 1:200 were used in the test. The positive identical ratio between AGD and CIEP reactions is 98 % and negative identical ratio is 100 %. One or three precipitin bands are observed in AGD. One to seven precipitin bands are also revealed in CIEP. Especially, deeply stained bands are observed in CIEP than those of AGD. The positive identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 96 % in 1:100 diluted sera, and 94 % in 1:200 diluted sera. But the negative identical ratios between AGD and ELISA tests are 97 % and 99 % respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera. The positive identical ratios between CIEP and ELISA tests are 98 % and 96 % respectively in 1:100 and 1:200 diluted sera, but also 97 % and 99 % in 1:100 and 1:200. Control sera, such as clonorchiasis, amoebiasis and toxoplasmosis, revealed all negatives with Paragonimus antigen in AGD, CIEP and ELISA tests. By above results, ELISA was most sensitive, next CIEP and AGD. But AGD test appears to be more useful when used to crude antigen without cross reaction with other parasitic infections. CIEP test is basically equal in terms of precipitin reaction, but CIEP is able to be detected more sensitively and rapidly though less simple in handiwork than AGD. Consequently, three methods for immunological tests of paragonimiasis have good correlations with one another. Also, each of these has both merits and demerits in immunological test for paragonimiasis. But the ELISA test was proved to be the most sensitive and convenient tool for mass screening test, especially in case of using purified antigen.

Journal Article↗

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis treated with an electrostatic dust filter.

A 60-year-old woman had had recurrent acute migratory pneumonias for 9 months. The results of an evaluation, which included tests for serum precipitins, a transbronchial biopsy, and a bronchial provocation, confirmed a diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by an Aspergillus species. The findings from gravity air cultures in the home showed a heavy infestation of mold. The installation of electrostatic dust filters in the return ducts of the central air conditioning system resulted in the lowering of mold colony counts to normal levels. This change in the environment enabled the patient to live at home without having the signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, or a need for medication. Thirty months after the electrostatic dust filters were installed, total mold colony counts were still normal, the patient remained free of the signs and symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and serum precipitins could no longer be demonstrated. The results of a bronchial challenge to Aspergillus species, however, remained positive; these positive results suggest that long-term memory immune mechanisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and lessen the importance of precipitins in establishing a diagnosis. We report that electrostatic dust filters may be an effective treatment for patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis when avoidance of the causative antigen cannot be easily and rapidly achieved.

Air Conditioning↗

Immunological features of asthma (Part II). A report to the Research Committee of the British Thoracic and Tuberculosis Association.

A serological comparison was made of two groups of 120 matched asthmatic and healthy subjects, between the ages of 20 and 49 years and matched for age and sex, in terms of serum total levels of IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE and of specific antibody levels in each immunoglobulin class to five common UK allergens. The relationship of clinical features to the serological tests was also examined in the asthmatic subjects. The following statistically significant findings were shown. The patients had higher levels than the controls of total globulins and of IgG, IgA and IgD but not IgM. In both patients and controls the females had higher IgM levels than the males. The total IgE levels were higher in patients than in the controls and the male patients had higher levels than the female patients. Total IgE levels were also related, to the numbers of first degree relatives with asthma, hay fever and eczema, to the severity of hay fever and to the amount of time off work in the male patients. In those male patients with exercise induced asthma the total IgE levels were lower than in those not showing this reaction. As for the other immunoglobulins, the only significant differences were a higher IgG level in patients with FEV1 or PFR greater than 50% predicted and a higher IgD level in patients with hay fever. Radio-immunodiffusion tests for specific precipitins were positive for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus in comparable numbers of asthmatics (25.8%) and controls (21.7%). Positive precipitin tests were uncommon in tests with extracts of grass pollen, Aspergillus fumigatus, cat and dog hair in the patients and even less so in the controls. Positive RAST tests for specific IgE antibodies were obtained in patients and controls respectively, against D. pteronyssinus 59% and 11%, grass pollen 37.0 and 12%, and A. fumigatus 6% and 4%. The male patients showed the closest significant relationship of specific IgE to D. pteronyssinus and the history of house dust allergy, positive skin test and nasal test. In the females only the skin and specific IgE tests were related. Both sexes showed a significant association between specific IgE to grass pollen and positive skin tests and nasal tests, but only the males showed an association with the history. The sizes of skin test weal to D. pteronyssinus were related to the levels of specific IgE antibody. No differences were found between the four skin test groups and between the asthmatics and the control subjects in the incidence of bacterial precipitins and auto-antibodies.

Adult↗

[Evaluation of the immune state of poultry against Newcastle virus via various serological reactions].

Studied were 336 sera of vaccinated and challenged chickens, 76 egg extracts, and 36 birds following challenge for the presence of serum antibodies against the Newcastle disease virus, using the hemagglutination-inhibition reaction, the agar gel diffusion precipitation reaction, and the virus-neutralizing test. The values of the antihemagglutinins, precipitins, and virus-neutralizing antibodies were investigated in relation to the immunobiologic resistance of birds to a velogenic Newcastle disease virus. A correlation was found between the antihemagglutinins and the neutralizing antibodies in broilers, aged 30-60 days, treated with an aerosol vaccine La Sota, and in henlayers treated muscularly with the Komarov vaccine. The presence of antihemagglutinin titers of 1:40 and higher values or positive neutralizing indices in the investigated birds were able to provide immunobiologic protection in challenging with a velogenic virus. Precipitins were detected in the blood sera of the challenged birds, which made reasonable their use as a sign pointing to the passage of a velogenic virus through the birds. The lower number of cases with positive precipitin reactions in the vaccinated birds speaks against using objectively this index for the evaluation of the immunologic status.

Aerosols↗

Antigenicity of protein and lipopolysaccharide from Yersinia enterocolitica.

The rabbits infected intravenously with viable Yersinia enterocolitica (Y.e.) produced the precipitating antibodies against a protein component as well as lipopolysaccharide of the organism. The production of the precipitins against protein antigen persisted for a long period of time even after the O-agglutinins had disappeared. The rabbits infected orally with the organism produced only the precipitins against protein antigen, and the amount of the antibody was equal to or greater than that of intravenous infection. The same precipitins that rabbits produced were detected even in human patients with yersiniosis showing O-agglutinin titers as low as less than or equal to 1:20. The antibody titers of mice infected with Y.e. were markedly lower than those of rabbits.

Agglutination Tests↗

Linear epitope mapping of an Sm B/B' polypeptide.

Autoantibodies binding the Sm B/B' peptides are commonly associated with SLE. IgG antibodies binding overlapping octapeptides of Sm B/B' have been evaluated in 10 patients with anti-Sm and anti-nRNP precipitins, 5 patients with other autoimmune serology, and 4 normal human sera. Neither normal controls nor patients without an anti-Sm precipitin significantly bind any of the Sm B/B' octapeptides. All sera tested containing an anti-Sm precipitin strongly bind octapeptides from eight regions of the Sm B/B' sequence. Three of these eight regions share the same octapeptide sequences (PPPGMRPP) that are consistently the most immunoreactive octapeptides from Sm B/B'. Binding of the similar PPPGIRGP, as well as binding to deletion and substitution peptides, suggest that the motif PPPG(I,M) (R,K) appears to best define this binding. Interestingly, PAPGMRPP in the nRNP C peptide is as antigenic as PPPGMRPP and may provide a partial explanation for the cross-reactivity shown between Sm and nRNP autoantibodies. However, the sequence, PPPGMIPP, from nRNP A is not antigenic. These data define the linear sequence autoantigenicity of the Sm B/B' protein. They also demonstrate that the predominant autoimmune epitope is a proline-rich sequence from which limited variance is permitted before antigenicity is destroyed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Health effects of exposure to herb dust in valerian growing farmers.

The aim of the present study was to determine the health status of farmers cultivating valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.) and occupationally exposed to dust from this plant. A group of 75 valerian growing farmers were examined. As a reference group, 50 urban dwellers, not exposed to any kind of organic dust were examined. All people were interviewed for the presence of work-related symptoms and subjected to physical and spirometric examinations. Skin prick tests were conducted with 4 microbial antigens associated with organic dust and 3 herbal extracts, precipitin tests with 12 microbial antigens and 4 herbal extracts and tests for specific inhibition of leukocyte migration with 4 microbial antigens. 30.7 % of the valerian farmers reported occurrence of work-related symptoms. No significant differences were found between the spirometric values in the group of valerian farmers and the reference group. Valerian farmers showed a low frequency of positive skin reactions to all tested antigens (0-4.0 %), not significantly greater compared to reference group. The frequency of positive precipitin reactions to the antigen of Gram-negative bacterium Pantoea agglomerans was very high in valerian farmers (45.5 %) with 3-fold concentrated sera and significantly greater compared to the reference group (p < 0.001). The positive precipitin response of valerian farmers to other microbial and herbal antigens was much lower or absent and did not show any difference compared to reference group. In the test for specific inhibition of leukocyte migration, the highest frequencies of positive reactions in valerian farmers were noted with Pantoea agglomerans and Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula (15.0 % each), in both cases significantly greater compared to reference group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the farmers growing valerian showed a moderate frequency of work-related symptoms and low reactivity to most microbial and herbal allergens. They exhibited an increased immunologic response to Gram-negative bacterium Pantoea agglomerans which appears to be the most important risk factor associated with valerian dust.

Adolescent↗

von Willebrand factor in lysates of washed canine platelets.

Canine and human platelets (washed 4 times in a solution containing EDTA, prostaglandin E1, and theophylline to prevent release of alpha-granule constituents) were lysed by being frozen and thawed in the presence of detergent. Radioelectroimmunoassay for von Willebrand factor (vWf) in 5 human platelet lysates produced precipitin rockets, shaped like those produced from vWf in plasma from healthy human beings, and indicated that the mean von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf:Ag) content in platelets from healthy human being was 526 +/- 87 human U/10(12) platelets. Radioelectroimmunoassay for vWf in platelet lysates from 17 healthy dogs with normal plasma. vWf:Ag concentration produced precipitin rockets that looked different from those produced from canine plasma and indicated vWf:Ag content of 59 +/- 35 canine U/10(12) platelets. Inclusion of protease inhibitors in the lysing solution did not normalize the appearance of the precipitin rockets or substantially alter the measured platelet content of vWf:Ag. The array of vWf multimers revealed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-agarose gel electrophoresis of canine platelet lysates had a distinct appearance that differed from that of vWf in canine or human plasma and platelets; the intensity of the canine platelet vWf multimer bands was skewed, with relatively greater density in the lower molecular weight region and faint or undetectable multimer bands in the higher molecular weight region. Electrophoretograms with visible multimers in the high molecular weight region had vWf components that had higher molecular weight than did any vWf components in canine plasma. Radioelectroimmunoassay for fibronectin in these same canine platelet lysates indicated that the fibronectin content in platelets was 2.89 +/- 1.10 mg/10(12) platelets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Detection of shared antigens of human liver flukes Opisthorchis viverrini and its snail host, Bithynia spp.

The relationship between Opisthorchis viverrini and its snail intermediate host including Bithynia funiculata, B. siamensis siamensis and B. siamensis goniomphalos was carried out on the correlation of shared antigens and infection rates. B. funiculata and B. s. siamensis were equally susceptible to O. viverrini with relatively high infection rates of 72.2% and 69.9% respectively whereas B. s. goniomphalos gave lowest percentage of infection of only 9.6%. By immunoelectrophoresis, crude extract of O. viverrini adult worm produced the same number of two common precipitin bands of four different electrophoretic mobilities against anti-B. funiculata and anti-B. s. siamensis sera and one precipitin band in the antigen well region against anti-B. s. goniomphalos serum. The three snail antigens produced the same number of two common precipitin bands against anti-O. viverrini serum.

Animals↗

Immunoelectrophoresis of mycobacterial antigens.

Polyvalent antiserum to culture filtrate of H37 Ra M. tuberculosis was raised in rabbits. Monospecific antiserum was raised against M. tuberculosis antigen-5, prepared from the culture filtrates by immunoabsorbent affinity chromatography. On immunoelectrophoresis, antigen-5 demonstrated single precipitin arc against polyvalent and monospecific antisera. The culture filtrate antigen demonstrated multiple precipitin arcs against polyvalent antiserum and single precipitin are against monospecific antiserum. Antigen-5 could be isolated and characterized from the culture filtrate of H37 Ra M. tuberculosis. Immunoelectrophoresis could be one of the method to characterize the mycobacterial antigens prepared in the laboratory.

Animals↗

[Immunologic status, respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function in fur processing workers].

A group of 54 women employed in the fur processing industry and a control group of 31 non-furriers were examined. The highest prevalence of positive immediate skin reactions to antigen from animal hair was found for marten (10%), followed by fox and lamb (7%), mink (5%) and chinese lamb, domestic fox and chinese calf (2%). Precipitating antibodies were demonstrated for lamb (17%), astrakhan (14%), mink, domestic fox and for skunk (12%), chinese lamb (10%), and chinese calf (7%). Increased total IgE was found in 9.5% of the furriers. Chronic respiratory symptoms were more prevalent among workers with positive skin tests and positive precipitins than among those with negative tests. The prevalence of the acute symptoms was higher among workers with precipitins than in those without them. There was no such relationship between the symptoms and the results of skin tests. Acute reductions of ventilatory capacity over the work shift occurred in workers with positive precipitins but not in those with positive skin tests. Our study suggests that furriers can develop acute and chronic respiratory difficulties frequently associated with specific indicators of atopy.

Adult↗