Precipitating antibodies in sera of normal blood donors against some antigens related to type III allergy, detected by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

Precipitating antibodies against five antigens, staphylococcus aureus, candida albicans, cotton wool dust, house dust and tetanus toxoid, related to type III allergy (Arthus reaction) were estimated in 100 sera of normal blood donors by the counterimmunoelectrophoresis technique. The three antigens staphylococcus aureus, candida and cotton wool dust exhibited rather high titres of precipitins in sera of normal blood donors, whereas nearly 80% of the sera yielded no precipitins against house dust and tetanus toxoid. For diagnostic purposes the borderline titres were estimated as follows: 1:8 for staphylococcus aureus, 1:16 for candida albicans and 1:8 for cotton wool dust. Even low titres with the house dust antigen indicated a pathogenic situation.