Cholera Immunology. II. Serum and Intestinal Secretion Antibody Response after Naturally Occurring Cholera.

Antibacterial antibody was measured in the sera and intestinal secretions of patients with diarrhea due either to cholera or to some other condition and during convalescence. The immunoglobulin class of this antibody was determined. The antibody in serum was measured by various methods; it was predominantly IgG, as has been shown in other studies. Antibody in secretions could not be detected by bacterial-agglutination tests; however, some convalescents had detectable vibriocidal antibody in their secretions. Increased amounts of antibody in intestinal secretions were regularly found by radioactive assay methods in the patients with cholera. The immunoglobulin class of the antibody was predominantly IgA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]