ABSTRACT
A study was undertaken to demonstrate antibodies or antigen in the serum or plasma of 69 patients with rhinosporidiosis. These patients were divided into three groups, depending upon the duration of their illness. In 14 (46.7%) of 30 patients with 1-3 years of infection with R. seeberi, 18 (78.3%) of 23 patients with 4-9 years of infection and 16 (100%) of 16 patients with 10 or more years of infection, apparent rhinosporidial antigen was found in their serum or plasma by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE). No antibodies could be demonstrated, by immunodiffusion (ID) or by CIE, in the serum or plasma of the 69 patients. CIE was more sensitive for the detection of precipitating antigen than ID.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Fungal/analysis , Rhinosporidiosis/immunology , Rhinosporidium/immunology , Antibodies, Fungal/analysis , Counterimmunoelectrophoresis , Humans , ImmunodiffusionABSTRACT
Leukocyte migration inhibition (LMI) and T lymphocyte counts were used as measures of cell mediated immunity in 37 patients with rhinosporidiosis and 18 healthy individuals. LMI was higher in all the patients than the normal controls, and it was maximal in patients with infection of 3-9 years' duration. When the chronicity of infection exceeded 10 years, there was a fall in LMI response although it was still more than that of the normal controls. The T cell count was significantly low with infection of 1-2 years' duration than in normals, but it rose to normal values in patients with infection that had lasted 3 years or more.
