Precipitins to inhaled avian antigens: results of an inter-laboratory study

Precipitins against avian antigens in sera from patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis, asymptomatic pigeon and chicken breeders and from control individuals were tested with different antigen extracts in six laboratories by a variety of different methods. Eighty percent of the results coincided in identifying the positive sera from patients and 90% in identifying the controls. It seems possible therefore to exchange results among experienced laboratories with fair confidence.