Secretory IgA, secretory component and pathogen specific antibodies in the middle ear effusion during an attack of acute and secretory otitis media.

The total concentration of secretory IgA (SIgA) and secretory component (SC) as well as the occurrence of pathogen specific serum type (IgG, IgA and IgM) and secretory type antibodies against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in the middle ear effusion during an attack of otitis media were studied by using the ELISA method. The middle ear effusion samples were taken at 2 to 4 weeks' intervals from patients with recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) or secretory otitis media (SOM). In the samples of the RAOM patients the SC/SIgA ratio was 2.2, while in the SOM samples the ratio was 13.6. Both serum and secretory type antibodies to the infecting bacteria could be detected in the middle ear effusions in both of the patient groups. The results of this study show that the middle ear can develop antigenic specific antibodies against the infecting bacteria. The increased production of SC seems to be related to the pathogenesis of SOM.