[Detection of collagenase in passive haemagglutination using collagen-coated erythrocytes (author's transl)].

Human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) collagenase and bacterial collagenase were shown to agglutinate collagen-coated erythrocytes. Native collagens of type I and type II reacted equally well, while denatured collagens showed less distinct agglutination activity. The sensitivity of the method for the detection of purified bacterial collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum is very high (100 pg). It is, however, low for human RA collagenase. The agglutination reaction is not inhibited by concentrations of native collagen causing distinct inhibition of anticollagen sera (2mg%). EDTA inhibits the agglutination completely.