Abstract
In this study opsonic activity of fresh and heat inactivated cord blood/CB/sera for S.aureus, E.coli and group B streptococci concentrations of immunoglobulins and complement components as well as activity of the classical and alternative pathways of complement activation were investigated.The opsonic activity of a serum was determined as its capacity to promote ingestion of bacteria.Concentrations of IgA,IgM and IgG were measured by immunodiffusion.The activity of complement pathways was determined by hemolytic titration. -The results showed that activity of heat inactivated CB sera in promoting phagocytosis was equal to that of sera of healthy adults which implies that IgG concentrations in CB sera and in adult sera represent functionally similar IgG activities.Ingestion of micro-organisms in the presence of fresh sera was found to be of the same level for CB sera and sera from adults when opsonisation occured via the classical pathway of complement activation.However due to the decreased concentrations of factors B,P and D in CB sera, optimal opsonisation of micro-organisms requiring the alternative pathway of complement was impaired.These findings clearly show the need to determine the opsonising activity of serum for each specific micro-organism.A normal or defective activity of a serum for one organism does not predict its activity for other micro-organisms.
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Maródi, L., Leijh, P., Karmazsin, L. et al. OPSONIC ACTIVITY OF CORD BLOOD SERA AGAINST VARIOUS SPECIES OF MICRO-ORGANISMS. Pediatr Res 19, 1089 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00127
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198510000-00127
