IMMUNOGLOBULIN-CONTAINING CELLS IN THE COLONIC MUCOSA IN PATIENTS WITH HUMAN INTESTINAL SPIROCHETOSIS

The relative proportions of cells containing the various classes of im munoglobulins in the colonic mucosa were determined in eight patients with human intestinal spirochaetosis (HIS) and in eight controls. All specimens were taken from colonic resections performed because of aden ocarcinoma. None of the cases with HIS showed an inflammatory reaction in the mucosa as judged subjectively by light microscopy. Cases with HIS had smaller proportions of IgD- and IgE-positive cells and a large r proportion of IgA cells as compared with the controls, whereas the p roportions of IgG and IgM cells were similar in the two groups. Taking into account the large individual variations in the proportions of im munoglobulins in both groups, our findings must be interpreted with ca ution. However, our results do not support the previous demonstration of increased percentages of IgE-positive cells in patients with HIS.