Whole salivary immunoglobulin levels in 60 healthy children: determined by a sensitive electroimmuno technique after prior carbamylation.

Immunoglobulins in whole saliva, collected unstimulated from 60 healthy children, 4 to 15 years of age, were determined by a modified electroimmuno technique using carbamylation of the samples prior to electrophoresis. This technique, which is generally used for measurement of immunoglobulins in serum, was found to be rapid, precise, and sensitive. The mean (median) for salivary IgA was 5.1 kIU/1, which was significantly higher than values obtained from stimulated or unstimulated parotid saliva by other investigators. The mean value for salivary IgG was 120 IU/1. IgM in saliva was only found in measurable amounts in 5 children.