complement fixation

The binding of active serum complement to an antigen-antibody pair. It is the basis for various diagnostic tests to detect the presence of a specific antigen or antibody.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

com′plement fixa`tion

the binding of complement to immune complexes or to certain foreign surfaces, as those of invading microorganisms.

[1905–10]

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Noun

complement fixation - an immune response in which an antigen-antibody combination inactivates a complement (so it is unavailable to participate in a second antigen-antibody combination)

immune reaction, immune response, immunologic response - a bodily defense reaction that recognizes an invading substance (an antigen: such as a virus or fungus or bacteria or transplanted organ) and produces antibodies specific against that antigen

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References in periodicals archive

Immunodiffusion and complement fixation tests to detect antibodies to H.

Histoplasmosis - Kentucky, 1995

The accuracy and reproducibility of the immunodiffusion test which correlates with complement fixation. Tech.

Coccidioidomycosis as a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia

The virus was quickly recognized as an influenza A virus by complement fixation tests.

Influenza pandemics of the 20th century

Thirty-eight persons had laboratory evidence of Mycoplasma infection: all had convalescent-phase serum antibody titers for Mycoplasma [greater than or equal to]32 by complement fixation (CF), 22 (58%) had CF titers of [greater than or equal to]128, and four (11%) had a fourfold rise in CF titers.

Outbreaks of mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory infection - Ohio, Texas, and New York, 1993

capsulatum was positive for H and M bands, but a specimen was not submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, for complement fixation testing.

Histoplasmosis cluster, golf course, Canada

Five of five paired acute-and convalescent-phase serum specimens showed a fourfold or greater rise in antibody titer to influenza type A by complement fixation. LDHH advised restricting contact between residents.

Influenza A outbreaks - Louisiana, August 1993

A complement fixation assay has been developed for detection of EYAV (6).

Coltiviruses and seadornaviruses in North America, Europe, and Asia

The virus was identified by complement fixation test and confirmed by reverse transcription--polymerase chain reaction.

Oropouche virus isolation, Southeast Brazil

A few cases were diagnosed on the basis of symptoms exhibited by animals infected with isolated rickettsiae and complement fixation tests, in addition to results of the Weil-Felix tests.

Reemerging murine typhus, Japan

Persons meeting the clinical case definition were considered to have had laboratory confirmed coccidioidomycosis if a complement fixation (CF) antibody titer of [greater than or equal to] 1:2 was present or if either of the immunodiffusion tests showed a band of identity.

Coccidioidomycosis among workers at an archeological site, Northeastern Utah

Complement fixation (CF) tests were performed according to a microtechnique modified from Fulton and Dumbell (22), using 2 full U of guinea pig complement and the sucrose-acetone extracted CHIKV mad ONNV antigens described earlier.

Acute spotted fever rickettsiosis among febrile patients, Cameroon