Antibody production in protein calorie malnutrition
el-Molla, A.; el-Ghoroury, A.; Hussein, M.; Badr-el-Din, M.K.; Hassen, A.H.; Aref, G.H.; el-Araby, I.
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 76(9): 248-250
1973
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5304 PMID: 4200600 Document Number: 65634
Different doses of cholera antigen were given at weekly intervals to a group of normal infants, infants with kwashiorkor and infants with marasmus to study vibriocidal and agglutinating antibody response. Blood samples were taken from the children, one before and 3 after the injection. The vibriocidal antibody response showed a significant rise in all the infants but there was no significant difference in values between the groups. The IgG level in normal and malnourished children was the only efficient system when compared with IgA and IgM which indicated that the vibriocidal antibodies to cholera resided in the IgM system. The agglutinating antibody response was greatly diminished in kwashiorkor and marasmus compared with the controls. As these children had a defective IgM system it was assumed that the agglutinating antibodies to cholera resided in the IgM system. The results indicated that the immunological system responded differently according to the antigen given.