[A comparison of complete and incomplete antibodies by Middlebrook-Dubos, Boyden and Coombs hemagglutination tests in...

The antibodies in the sera of 160 tuberculous persons and in a control group of 100 healthy persons were investigated by Middlebrook-Dubos (M-D), Boyden hemagglutination and modified M-D antiglobulin methods. By the M-D method 88% of the sera from 135 persons with lung tuberculosis, and 57.1% sera from 21 persons with other organ tuberculosis gave positive results. In the control group of 100 persons 11% were positive, while all of PPD negative persons remained negative. By Boyden method 90% of 135 lung tuberculosis, 57.1% of 21 with other organ tuberculosis and 4% of the control group gave positive results. In 91.2% of 80 persons with lung tuberculosis, tested with modified M-D antiglobulin method, found incomplete antibodies. The difference in control groups (11%, 4%), and in persons with active tuberculosis (88%, 90%) indicates that the serological tests are just as significant as other diagnostic methods.