Precipitating Antibodies
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Precipitating Antibodies
General information
Other names
| Where It's Done | Who Does It | How Long It Takes | Discomfort/Pain |
| Doctor's office, commercial laboratory, or hospital. | Doctor, nurse, or lab technician. | Less than 5 minutes. | Discomfort associated with drawing blood. |
| Results Ready When | Special Equipment | Risks/Complications | Average Cost |
| 1-2 weeks. | Supplies for drawing blood. | Negligible. | $ |
Allergic lung serology.
PurposeTo diagnose farmer's lung disease and other lung disorders caused by an allergic reaction to inhaled fungi, molds, or other organic substances.
How it worksIf an allergy is present, antibodies will be found in the serum part of the blood. When the serum is placed in a clear gel containing the suspected allergen, the antibodies will bind with the allergen and form a precipitate that clouds the gel.
PreparationNone.
Test procedureBlood is drawn from your vein and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
After the testFollow procedures for venous blood drawing.
Factors affecting resultsThe levels of precipitating antibodies may vary with fluctuations in the disease.
InterpretationA cloudy, whitish band in the clear gel after the serum is added indicates that you may be allergic to the tested antigen. The test detects the antibodies only if they are present in large amounts.
AdvantagesIt entails no risk.
DisadvantagesThere is a possibility of false-negatives and false-positives if test results aren't carefully correlated with history of disease.
The next step- A positive test in the presence of symptoms is considered definitive for diagnosis, and no further tests are necessary. However, your environment must be surveyed for sources of the allergen, e.g., moldy hay.
- A negative test, if there is a history of symptoms, may be false, and the test may be repeated.
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Yale University Guide to Medical Tests
The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests by Faculty Members at The Yale University of Medicine and G.S. Sharpe Communications, Inc. Copyright © 1997 by Yale University of Medicine and G.S. Sharpe Communications, Inc. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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