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Cross‐reacting antibodies to Micropolyspora faeni in Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection ‡
Author(s) -
DAVIES BRIAN H.,
EDWARDS JOHN H.,
SEATON ANTHONY
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1975.tb01855.x
Subject(s) - mycoplasma pneumoniae , antibody , immunology , farmer's lung , antigen , mycoplasmataceae , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , complement fixation test , precipitin , immunoglobulin e , virology , serology , mycoplasma , mollicutes , medicine , lung , pneumonia
Summary Two cases are described of severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in whom cross‐reacting antibodies developed to a glycopeptide antigen of Micropolyspora faeni . The antibodies were predominantly IgG, although some IgM was detected. Precipitin responses to M. faeni were detected for 4 months after the initial illness in one case, and 1 month in the second case. The cross‐reacting antibodies were closely related to the antibodies responsible for the complement fixation reaction to M. pneumoniae . It is suggested that a common potysaccharide antigen may exist on the surface membranes of M. pneumoniae and M. faeni . Initial studies of the frequency of the development of cross‐reacting antibodies in M. pneumoniae infection suggest it is uncommon. Atypical cases of farmer's lung should be investigated to exclude M. pneumoniae infection.