A radioimmunoassay index for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Differentiating patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis from those with asthma who have immediate cutaneous reactivity to Aspergillus fumigatus may be difficult. Both groups have IgE and IgG antibodies against aspergillus antigen. We describe methods for establishing IgE and IgG antibody indices using sera from asthmatic patients as a control serum pool. The IgE and IgG antibody indices are usually both positive and at least one index was positive in all patients during the acute stage. The indices had diagnostic value in individual patients during the other four stages, but were not consistently positive in patients in any other stage. In a patient with a suspected case, serodiagnosis should be attempted before corticosteroid therapy is started; thus, acute-phase serum should be obtained and stored before therapy.