Immunoglobulin and complement deposits in the skin and circulating immune complexes in scabies
Salo, O.P.; Reunala, T.; Kalimo, K.; Rantanen, T.
Acta Dermato-Venereologica 62(1): 73-76
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5555 PMID: 6175145 Document Number: 187290
Sixteen patients with papulovesicular, 6 with nodular and 1 with Norwegian scabies [caused by Sarcoptes scabiei (L.)] were studied in Finland. Direct immunofluorescence examination showed deposits of the 3rd component of complement (C3) in dermal vessel walls and 3 of the patients also showed IgM and 2 IgA deposits at the same site. No circulating immune complexes were found, with a solid-phase C1q radioimmunoassay (RIA), but herpes simplex virus RIA and respiratory syncytial virus RIA methods detected IgM antibodies of the rheumatoid factor type in 5 of the 15 sera examined. These results suggest that local complement activation and possibly also immune complex of deposition may be important in the pathogenesis of the papular and nodular skin lesions of human scabies.