Immunological Studies in Sickle Cell Crisis in Ghana

Abstract

We have investigated thirty patients in sickle cell crisis and forty-six healthy controls. IgG, IgA and IgM immunoglobulins and /?,A globulin were measured with radial immunodiffusion; antistreptolysin 0, C reactive protein and rheumatoid factor were tested in the plasma with latex slide text technique. It was found that there is no ecrease in the major immunoglobulin levels durim. sickle cell crisis. The A SO test was positive in almost equal numbers of controls and patients, whereas the Creactive protein was positive in almost half of the sicklers and negative in all the controls. Rheumatoid factor was positive only in two controls. Ther e was, however, a significant decrease in the /?,A globulin level in patients. This globulin is a degradation product of the complement factor C'3. The view was expressed that, perhaps during crisis an absolute or relative deficiency of complement may be responsible for the decreased opsonizing function and this could explain the higher incidence rate of infection in sickle cell crisis