[Study of anti-T-agglutinins in active and inactivated human sera (author's transl)]

Anti-T-agglutinins were found in 252 of 283 human sera investigated applying the two-step neuraminidase test and using an RDE-preparation of czechoslovakian origin. Storage and heating of the sera was followed by a reduction or loss of T-agglutination dependent on the time of incubation at 4 degrees C and 56 degrees C. This was proved to be caused by the inactivation of the anti-T-agglutinins and not by the loss of complement. T-transformed erythrocytes absorb anti-T-agglutinins completely. However, they are rarely found in eluates of anti-T-sensitized erythrocytes. The two-step neuraminidase test is a simple and reliable method for the detection of anti-T-agglutinins in human sera.