Serum Immunoglobulins in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

¹ Immunology Laboratory, Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición, México City, México

Levels of the three major classes of immunoglobulins were quantitatively determined in sera from 143 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis residing in Mexico City and compared with levels in 112 healthy Mexico City residents. Results were related to a "British" standard reference serum to allow comparison with results from other laboratories. Mean levels of all three immunoglobulins but, particularly those of IgG and IgM, were higher in tuberculous patients than in normal controls. There was no significant variation in the levels of any of the three immunoglobulins that could be attributed to sex, ethnic background, isoniazid acetylation rate, known duration of tuberculosis or isoniazid-induced antinuclear antibodies. The most frequent pattern, observed in 76 tuberculous sera, was that of increased IgG and IgM without concurrent elevation of IgA. Elevation of all three immunoglobulins studied was found in 37 and isolated elevation of IgG in 24 of the 143 tuberculous sera studied. These findings correlate well with the reported immunoglobulin class of antibody response to tuberculous antigens.