Some thoughts on pseudomonas antibody test

[Guest guest]

I understood what Torsten was replying to. I was just thinking MORE

about the antibody test in my response. I wasn't thinking in terms of

the test giving false positives or negatives ... just the possible

limitations of the test. The problem being that once the body is exposed

to an infectious agent, it can continue to produce antibodies against

that agent for varying periods of time afterwards. Antibodies are one

way that the body builds immunity to certain infectious agents (too bad

it doesn't build effective immunity against PA in CF!).

For that reason, if the subject is currently infected, *or has ever been

infected*, with the bacteria, a positive test may result. The postive

result would not be a false positive ... it would be showing that the

person had been infected by PA at one time. I don't know how long

antibodies against PA may continue to circulate in the body, once (and

if) the actual PA bacteria have disappeared. I agree that false

negatives would be unlikely. I suspect that the test is looking for

patients who have NEVER been infected with PA for the vaccination studies.

Or, perhaps the antibody test has some way of distinguishing between

current harbouring of PA and antibodies from a prior exposure or

infection to PA. Maybe assumptions can be made based on the number of

circulating antibodies. I don't know the answer but am curious to learn

more about the test.

I am also curious about the vaccination that should be available in the

next couple of years. I wonder if it will be useful ONLY for those who

don't already have circulating antibodies against PA.

M

torstenkrafft wrote:

>Hi ,

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>maybe that false positiv results are possible. But I can hardly

>believe that the test will give false negative results. And my reply

>was posted regarding to comments that you can't say that a pwcf has

>gotten rid of the pseudomonas. In Europe the antibody test is used to

>find candidates for vaccination studies, so if the test can give

>false negative results then the whole study would be screwed up.

>

>Peace

>Torsten

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>What's about the test for PA antibodies? It's my understanding

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>that you can have a blood check for PA antibodies and that test gives you a

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>clear result, whether you harbour PA somewhere in your body or not.

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>Peace

>Torsten, dad of Fiona 6wcf and Sebastian newborn wocf

>e-mail: torstenkrafft@w...

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