Ch. 18 - Practical Applications of Immunology

Tortora - Microbiology: An Introduction 14th Edition

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Tortora 14th Edition

Ch. 18 - Practical Applications of Immunology

Problem 9

Chapter 18, Problem 9

Test used to detect the presence of antibodies in a patient’s serum.
a. Direct fluorescent antibody
b. Indirect fluorescent antibody
c. Rabies immune globulin
d. Killed rabies virus
e. None of the above

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the purpose of the test: it is designed to detect antibodies present in a patient's serum, which means we are looking for a method that identifies antibodies rather than antigens or providing treatment.

Review the options given: options a and b involve fluorescent antibody techniques, option c is a treatment (immune globulin), option d is a vaccine (killed virus), and option e is none of the above.

Recall that a direct fluorescent antibody test uses fluorescently labeled antibodies that bind directly to antigens in a sample, so it detects antigens, not antibodies.

Recall that an indirect fluorescent antibody test uses an unlabeled primary antibody from the patient’s serum that binds to the antigen, followed by a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody that binds to the primary antibody, thus detecting antibodies in the serum.

Conclude that the test used to detect antibodies in a patient’s serum corresponds to the indirect fluorescent antibody technique (option b).

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Antibody Detection Methods

Antibody detection methods identify specific antibodies in a patient's serum to diagnose infections or immune status. Techniques like direct and indirect fluorescent antibody tests use labeled antibodies to visualize antigen-antibody reactions, helping detect immune responses.

Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) Test

The DFA test uses fluorescently labeled antibodies that bind directly to antigens in a sample. It detects the presence of specific pathogens by visualizing fluorescence under a microscope, but it does not detect antibodies in serum.

Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) Test

The IFA test detects antibodies in a patient's serum by using an unlabeled antigen and a fluorescently labeled secondary antibody that binds to the patient's antibodies. This method is commonly used to confirm exposure or immune response to infections.

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Textbook Question

A purified protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis is injected into a person’s skin. A hardened, red area develops around the injection site within 3 days.

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Textbook Question

In an agglutination test, eight serial dilutions to determine antibody titer were set up: Tube 1 contained a 1:2 dilution; tube 2, a 1:4, and so on. If tube 5 is the last tube showing agglutination, what is the antibody titer?

a. 5

b. 1:5

c. 32

d. 1:32

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Textbook Question

Test used to identify rabies virus in the brain of a dog.

a. Direct fluorescent antibody

b. Indirect fluorescent antibody

c. Rabies immune globulin

d. Killed rabies virus