Prevalence of
            <i>Chlamydia pneumoniae</i>
            and
            <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i>
            Immunoglobulin G and A Antibodies in a Healthy Finnish Population as Analyzed by Quantitative Enzyme Immunoassays

Tuuminen, Tamara; Varjo, Sirpa; Ingman, Heidi; Weber, T.; Oksi, Jarmo; Viljanen, Matti K.

doi:10.1128/cdli.7.5.734-738.2000

Cited by 70 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The use of an IgG-removing reagent before the measurement of IgA antibodies in EIA would be worth testing. In both tests, IgG and IgA antibodies increase in older age but at different rates (13,45).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and Persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae Antibodies in Healthy Laboratory Personnel in Finland

Paldanius

Bloigu

Alho

et al. 2005

Clin Vaccine Immunol

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The rates of Chlamydia pneumoniae seroconversions suggesting acute primary infections or reinfections and the prevalences of antibodies were followed up among healthy laboratory workers. Annual serum samples were collected from 47 persons in Helsinki from 1958 to 1990 and from 40 persons in Oulu from 1994 to 1999. C. pneumoniae species-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM antibodies were measured by microimmunofluorescence (MIF) in 407 sera from Helsinki. The 185 sera collected in Oulu were tested both by MIF and by commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA). During the follow-up periods of 31 years in Helsinki and 6 years in Oulu, seroconversions were demonstrated by MIF in 45% and 15% of the study groups, respectively. In Helsinki 9% of the persons seroconverted twice during the follow-up period. By MIF, the total incidence rate per 100 person-years at risk was 6.9 in Helsinki and 4.9 in Oulu, and annual incidence rates varied from 0 to 15.4. By EIA, annual incidence rates in Oulu varied from 0 to 10.8. The seroconversions by MIF were usually not confirmed by EIA and vice versa. Prevalence and persistence rates, respectively, of IgA antibodies were higher in EIA (62% and 26%) than in MIF (26% and 17%), whereas the figures for IgG were quite similar. The prevalence of IgG and IgA antibodies was higher in older persons than in younger ones. The presence of antibodies did not offer protection from reinfection.Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common respiratory pathogen, and almost all people are infected by the age of 20. Seroepidemiological studies have shown that the antibody prevalence rises with age in adult populations (39). Frequent reinfections or persistent infections might explain the higher antibody prevalence in older age groups (13,28,50). C. pneumoniae causes upper and lower respiratory tract infections in humans and causes about 10% of the pneumonia cases in adults worldwide (14, 38). Persistent C. pneumoniae infections have been associated with several chronic diseases, such as asthma (16, 17), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (47), and coronary heart disease (34,40,41).The epidemiological situation affects the prevalence of C. pneumoniae immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies (25,38). Seroepidemiological surveys have shown that both epidemic and endemic C. pneumoniae respiratory tract infections occur in different parts of the world, and epidemics are more common in sparsely populated areas (38). It has also been suggested that asymptomatic infections or infections with mild respiratory symptoms are common (14). Most transmissions seem to take place at schools, military bases, and workplaces, although the spread of infections at home has also been reported (13,26,39). After an acute infection, IgM titers usually fall within 2 months and normalize within 4 to 6 months. Elevated IgG levels may persist for several years and occasionally be detectable over 3 years after the acute infection (29).At the Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, and at the National Public Health Institute in Oul...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and Persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae Antibodies in Healthy Laboratory Personnel in Finland

Paldanius

Bloigu

Alho

et al. 2005

Clin Vaccine Immunol

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“…Serologic analysis, particularly microimmunofluorescence tests, has been extensively used; however, interpretation is problematic, since a large part of the population has preexisting immunoglobulin G antibodies from a previous exposure(s) (47). In addition, serologic methods are subjective, and there is considerable cross-reaction with other species of Chlamydia and with Bartonella (24,30,35,47). Due to the difficulties with culturing and serologic analysis, a number of nucleic acid amplification assays for detecting C. pneumoniae have been developed (6).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of Real-Time PCR-Based Fluorescence Assays for Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae

Tondella¹,

Talkington²,

Holloway

et al. 2002

J Clin Microbiol

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Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important respiratory pathogen recently associated with atherosclerosis and several other chronic diseases. Detection of C. pneumoniae is inconsistent, and standardized PCR assays are needed. Two real-time PCR assays specific for C. pneumoniae were developed by using the fluorescent dyelabeled TaqMan probe-based system. Oligonucleotide primers and probes were designed to target two variable domains of the ompA gene, VD2 and VD4. The limit of detection for each of the two PCR assays was 0.001 inclusion-forming unit. Thirty-nine C. pneumoniae isolates obtained from widely distributed geographical areas were amplified by the VD2 and VD4 assays, producing the expected 108-and 125-bp amplification products, respectively. None of the C. trachomatis serovars, C. psittaci strains, other organisms, or human DNAs tested were amplified. The amplification results of the newly developed assays were compared to the results of culturing and two nested PCR assays, targeting the 16S rRNA and ompA genes. The assays were compared by testing C. pneumoniae purified elementary bodies, animal tissues, 228 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) specimens, and 179 oropharyngeal (OP) swab specimens obtained from ischemic stroke patients or matched controls. The real-time VD4 assay and one nested PCR each detected C. pneumoniae in a single, but different, PBMC specimen. Eleven of 179 OP specimens (6.1%) showed evidence of the presence of C. pneumoniae in one or more tests. The real-time VD4 assay detected the most positive results of the five assays. We believe that this real-time PCR assay offers advantages over nested PCR assays and may improve the detection of C. pneumoniae in clinical specimens.

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“…The independent association between elevated C. pneumoniae IgA antibody levels and fibrinogen levels further indicates that chronic infections could be of importance for disease activity (25). However, several studies have failed to show any association between C. pneumoniae-specific IgA antibodies and chronic lung or cardiovascular diseases (2,3,23,26,28). The present results clearly indicate that there are large variations in the abilities of different commercial anti-IgA FITC conjugates to detect IgA antibodies in serum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…IgA antibodies to C. pneumoniae measured by MIF tests seem to be rare in children (unpublished data), and low IgA prevalences have also been found when antibodies to chlamydial lipopolysaccharide have been measured by EIAs (12), even in children found positive for C. pneumonie by culturing or PCR. Tuuminen et al recently reported very high IgA antibody prevalences in Finnish children over 4 years old by using a commercial EIA method for C. pneumoniae, but their method has not been validated by comparison to MIF tests performed in an experienced laboratory (26). It is possible that small children do not frequently produce IgA antibodies as a response to primary upper respiratory tract infections and that IgA responses are generally more common in reinfections, which are more common in adults (5,22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement ofChlamydia pneumoniae-Specific Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Antibodies by the Microimmunofluorescence (MIF) Method: Comparison of Seven Fluorescein-Labeled Anti-Human IgA Conjugates in an In-House MIF Test Using One Commercial MIF and One Enzyme Immunoassay Kit

Paldanius

Bloigu

Leinonen

et al. 2003

Clin Vaccine Immunol

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For the serological diagnosis of acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, the microimmunofluorescence (MIF) test is the most commonly used method and also the "gold standard" for the measurement of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies. The role of IgA antibodies in diagnosis has not been established. Commercially available fluorescein-labeled anti-human IgA conjugates have not been systematically compared to each other, and this situation may cause considerable variations in IgA results. Therefore, we tested 261 serum samples from 122 patients with pneumonia for IgA antibodies by using six ␣-chain-specific anti-IgA conjugates in our in-house MIF test, one commercial MIF test, and one enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Interfering IgG antibodies were removed with Gullsorb reagent before the measurement of IgA antibodies. Altogether, 14 significant IgA antibody increases in serum samples between the acute phase and the convalescent phase were detected by at least one of the conjugates in the MIF test, while no increases were found in the IgA EIA. Only one patient showed a significant IgA antibody increase with all of the fluorescein-labeled conjugates. Five significant titer changes were detected by at least two conjugates, and in nine instances, the titer increase was detected by one conjugate only. The titer agreement indicated by kappa coefficients was very good or good for all of the fluorescein-labeled conjugates and the EIA with low antibody titers but decreased with increasing titers.

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Prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae Immunoglobulin G and A Antibodies in a Healthy Finnish Population as Analyzed by Quantitative Enzyme Immunoassays

Cited by 70 publications

References 13 publications

Prevalence and Persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae Antibodies in Healthy Laboratory Personnel in Finland

Prevalence and Persistence of Chlamydia pneumoniae Antibodies in Healthy Laboratory Personnel in Finland

Development and Evaluation of Real-Time PCR-Based Fluorescence Assays for Detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae

Measurement ofChlamydia pneumoniae-Specific Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Antibodies by the Microimmunofluorescence (MIF) Method: Comparison of Seven Fluorescein-Labeled Anti-Human IgA Conjugates in an In-House MIF Test Using One Commercial MIF and One Enzyme Immunoassay Kit

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