Brucellosis IgM
Brucellosis - an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the Brucella species, characterized by multiple organ damage in humans. The disease is transmitted by contact with farm animals and eating animal products: milk, meat, cheese, cottage cheese. Sources are: goats, sheep, cows, and pigs. Three species of brucellosis are dangerous for humans: Brucella abortus (cattle), B. melitensis (small cattle), B. suis (pigs).
Brucellosis symptoms are diverse and appear within two weeks of infection in the mean. The presentations are highly variable and non-specific, making diagnosis difficult. In general, the brucellosis symptomatology resembles influenza:
- Fever;
- Rigor;
- Frustration, malaise, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation;
- Loss of appetite;
- Muscle pain, joint pain;
- Joint swelling;
- Cough and dyspnea with lung function.
The test refers to serological diagnosis of infectious diseases. The tested material is blood, in which antibodies to the pathogen are detected. Antibodies are components of the body’s immune system that are produced to destroy a particular foreign protein-antigen. In this case, the antigen is Brucellae (B. abortus, B. suis, B. melitensis).
There are several types of antibodies: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM. However, the immune system cannot always cope with brucellosis even with very high antibody concentrations. Each of the antibodies listed above has its own function and incubation period.
M class immunoglobulins are the first to be produced in response to the appearance of bacteria in the blood. Their level peaks during the first few weeks and then gradually decreases. IgM remains in the blood for several months. Detection of Brucella IgM in the blood indicates an acute period of infection.
IgA is produced as early as 5 days after infection. The IgA peak is 1-2 weeks, then there is a gradual decrease in their number and in 2-3 months, antibodies disappear completely, even without treatment (they are replaced by IgG). If the chronic course of brucellosis is exacerbated, IgA reappears. IgG is produced 15-20 days after infection and may persist in small amounts for a long time. After re-infection, the antiserum capacity rises again.
Read more about brucellosis in the article: Brucellosis silent epidemic.