Circulating immune complexes and activation of the complement sequence in acute allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Abstract

A 13-yr-old asthmatic girl with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) exhibited eosinophilia, IgE hypergammaglobulinemia, serum precipitins to Aspergillus, a dual skin reaction to Aspergillus fumigatus, and positive, lymphocyte transformation in vitro in response to stimulation with Aspergillus fumigatus antigen. The acute phase of the disease was characterized by an increase in blood eosinophilia, a rise in serum IgE, circulating immune complexes, and evidence of activation of the complement system through the classical pathway.