Assessment of IgG antibodies to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Abstract

Background: The usefulness of serological tests for detection of P. aeruginosa pulmonary infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) is controversial. Here, we assessed the value of detecting anti-P. aeruginosa IgG by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for identification of P. aeruginosa infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Methods: Serum concentrations of anti-P. aeruginosa IgG were assessed in 117 CF patients classified according to their P. aeruginosa colonization/infection status (never colonized; free of infection; intermittently colonized and chronically infected) and in 53 healthy subjects by the ELISA test standardized with the St-Ag:1-17 antigen.

Results: The rate of IgG seropositivity and the median of IgG concentrations of this antibody in patients chronically infected were significantly higher than those found in the other CF groups and in the healthy control group.

Conclusion: Detection of anti-P. aeruginosa IgG can be an useful tool for identification of P. aeruginosa chronic infection in patients with CF.

Virtual slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/13000_2014_158.

Figure 1

Serum concentrations of anti- P. aeruginosa IgG (U/mL) in patients classified according to their P. aeruginosa colonization/infection status and in healthy controls. The median of IgG concentration in patients chronically infected was significantly higher than those found in the other CF groups and in the healthy controls (p < 0,0001). No statistically significant differences were found between CF patients intermittently colonized and free of infection, between CF patients free of infection and the control group and between CF patients never colonized and the control group.