Abstract
Summary
Vaginal secretion from 55 healthy adult volunteers were analyzed with the double diffusion-precipitin test using antisera to serum proteins and antisera to bronchial secretions, as a preliminary study in search of an immunological means of detecting cancer of the cervix. Approximately one-half of the specimens contained detectable amounts of serum proteins, while 70% reacted with the anti-sputum sera. Of these, 18 specimens (32.7%) reacted with the anti-sputum serum absorbed with normal human serum proteins. Characterization of the components reacting with the antisera was achieved with the immunoelectrophoretic study, and the immunoelectrophoretic patterns of vaginal secretions were compared with the patterns of gastric juices and of bronchial secretions. The 3 secretions had components having cross-reactivities although their physico-chemical properties were different. Use of antisera to vaginal secretions and application thereof to pathologic vaginal secretions are indicated.
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