FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY STUDIES IN EXPERIMENTAL MALARIAS. III. LIMITATIONS OF THE FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TECHNIQUE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the limitations of the fluorescent antibody (FA) technique. Perhaps the most disturbing limitation of fluorescent antibody technique is the technical problems. Variability of results with this test arise among different laboratories, and even from day to day in the same laboratory, through variations in the quantity and quality of reagents used in titrations, in the methodology of titration, in the illuminating equipment, and in the individuals actually making the observations. No two laboratories use the same exact techniques for the preparation of antigen and antibody materials. No two individuals consistently report the same endpoints in titrations. Actual blind-trials in laboratory have shown that the same competent observer, using identical techniques and materials in duplicate testing, frequently may vary by 2 tenfold dilutions in reporting endpoints. There have been suggestions that this technique may be useful in determining the immune status of populations in endemic or formerly endemic areas, determining specific immunity, antibody titer, and even possibly a time factor in regard to recentness of infection.