SERUM C3, ITS IMMUNOELECTROPHORETIC FORMS (plC AND plA) AND SERUM HAEMOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Summary: Fifty cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were classified into unreactive (3 cases), unreac-tive intermediate (26 cases), reactive intermediate (18 cases) and leactive (3 cases) cases. Sera were studied for haemolytic activity by a microtiter system, C3 by single radial immunodiffusion, and the pi C/β1A proportions by two dimensional crossed immunoelectrophoresis (2DCIF.P). The haemolytic activity and the C3 levels were significantly raised in patients. Similarly, the conversicn of piC to pi A was significantly greater in patients than in controls. There was no significant intergroup difference in the classes of patients. The Koch phenomenon, described at the turn of the century in guinea pigs, indicated the importance of immunological mechanisms in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Caseou