Natural antibodies against colicines in human and animal sera
Dimitracopoulos, G.; Papavassiliou, J.; Tzannetis, S.
Bollettino dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese 54(5): 382-386
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2547 PMID: 54185 Document Number: 88150
The presence of "natural antibodies" against colicines was detected in the sera of 13 (29.5%) hospitalized recruits aged 20-29 years, 4 (25%) hospitalized males aged 30-49 years, 8 (40%) outpatient elderly subjects aged 50-79 years and in the sera of 15 (27.2%) animals. It is discussed the possible role of colicines as antigenic determinants stimulating the production of "natural antibodies", because of the prolonged and repeated contact of colicinogenic strains with the host animals.