[Occurrence of antifibrinogen antibodies in serum of individuals diagnosed with serum sickness].

Occurrence and antifibrinogen antibodies level have been determined in sera of 50 individuals with serum sickness and in 50 blood donors constituting the control group. Antifibrinogen antibodies have been detected in blood of 41 (82%) blood recipients. Titre of these antibodies have ranged from 1:8 to 1:512, and their agglutination potency has ranged from 5 to 67 Dunsford's units. Immediately after serum sickness diagnosis a decrease in both level and agglutination potency of these antibodies has been noted. Further treatment with full blood constantly increased both the level and agglutination potency of antifibrinogen antibodies. It is probable, that fibrinogen and its degradation products present in the given blood stimulated antibodies production. This hypothesis is fortified by the observation, that stable decrease in both the level and agglutination potency of antifibrinogen antibodies in patients with serum sickness treated with washed erythrocytes. Antifibrinogen antibodies of a titre ranging from 1:4 to 1:16, and agglutination potency of 5-18 Dunford's units have been detected in 14 blood donors constituting a control group. Specificity of the detected antifibrinogen antibodies as well as their IgG character have been also confirmed.