Study of colostrum of a patient with selective IgA deficiency

In a study of immunological factors in colostrum, we detected an 18-year old primipara with selective IgA deficiency and with a history of 3 previous hospitalizations for bronchopneumonia. Peripheral blood studies showed: IgG = 1240 mg%; IgM = 160 mg, and undetectable IgA on two different occasions. B lymphocyte measurement by immunofluorescence for membrane immunoglobulins, T lymphocyte determination by rosette formation with sheep red cells, and T lymphocyte determination with monoclonal antibodies of the Ortho series showed normal results. Salivary IgA was undetectable. The colostrum results were: undetectable IgA (mean, 19.2 g/l); IgM, 22,2 g/l (mean, 2.3 g/l); IgG, 1.3 g/l (mean, 0.7 g/l), and lysozyme, 214.2 mu/ml (mean, 157.1 mu/ml). The very high IgM levels detected in the colostrum of these patients are interpreted to be a compensatory factor for the lack of IgA.