IgE responses in human filariasis -(i). Quantitation of filaria-specific IgE.

Rabia Hussain; Hamilton, Robert G.; Kumaraswami, V.; Franklin Adkinson, Jr. N.; Ottesen, E.A.

Journal of Immunology; 1981; 127; 1623-1629.

We have developed a noncompetitive solid phase reactive immunoassay to quantitate human IgE antibodies against soluble adult antigens of Brugia malayi (B.m.), a filarial parasite, in sera of patients with various forms of clinical filariasis in Madras, India. A single reference serum was shown to contain 23 µg/ml of B.m.-specific IgE by depletion analysis and was used as a standard serum throughout the study.

          The levels of specific IgE ranged in the patients sera from 2 to 23,000 ng/ml. When these individuals were divided into clinical groups, the individuals with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia had the highest levels (mean = 8630 ng/ml) and were significantly higher than all the other groups (p < 0.001). The lowest levels were seen in patients with circulating microfilariae (mean = 30.5 ng/ml). Patients exhibiting lymphatic obstruction (i.e., chronic pathology group) had levels slightly higher than microfilaremics (mean = 68 ng/ml) but were not significantly different (p< 0.1). Surprisingly, individuals living in endemic areas but who had no clinical signs of filariasis also showed appreciable levels of B.m .-specific IgE (mean = 55 ng/ml). The B.m .-specific IgE represented 0.1 to 48% of the total IgE. Higher percentage of specific IgE may be responsible for evoking allergic symptomatology in patients with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia.

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