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The intraepithelial lymphocytes of the jejunal mucosa from patients with giardiasis and from control patients were counted in coded serial sections. Patients with giardiasis and normal intestinal absorption and control patients who had lived and travelled in tropical areas had similar counts, which were higher than those reported for controls from temperate areas. Where giardiasis was accompanied by malabsorption of one substance the mean count was significantly higher than that of controls (P < 0.02). In those patients with giardiasis and malabsorption of two or three substances the mean count was significantly higher than that of controls (P < 0.02) and that of patients with giardiasis and normal absorption (P < 0.05). After treatment, intraepithelial lymphocyte counts declined consistently in patients with malabsorption. An association between raised intraepithelial lymphocyte counts and malabsorption is indicated. The possible significance of this finding is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a study which reports that a radioactive organophosphorus compound, 32P-diphenyl phosphinothioic chloride was synthesized from commercially available radioactive phosphorus pentasulphide of high specific activity and conjugated to an immunoglobulin. Goat anti-human-globulin was used and the conjugation had no material effect on its antibody titre. The conjugate was highly radioactive and contained on average twenty-eight phosphorus atoms per globulin molecule. The chemical combination was stable and permitted specific immunodiffusion and immunohistological localization of the antibody as judged by autoradiography.