 |
|
 |
|
|  |
|
Biotechnology
Biotech
Diagnostic Services - T-A3-B test
 |
|
Specific
diagnosis of IgE-mediated type allergies-traditionally base on
prick and/or intradermal skin tests, and on the quantification
of allergen specific IgE antibodies. Although many results have
been obtained during the last two decades in allergy diagnostics,
allergologists and immunologists working in the field of allergic
responses are still confronted with the problem of unclear results
demanding for a confirmation with new independent methods. Besides
that, new drugs and new food additives can only be detected |
by
expensive and dangerous oral provocation challenges. Mast cells
and basophils play a central role in inflammatory and immediate
allergic reactions. They are able to release potent inflammatory
mediators, such as histamine, proteases, chemotactic factors,
cytokines and metabolites of arachidonic acid that act on the
vasculature, smooth muscle, connective tissue, mucous glands
and inflammatory cells.
|
THE
T-A3-B TEST
The T-A3-B Test measures basophil activation caused by in-vitro incubation
of allergen with peripheral blood lymphocytes. Basophil cells are known
to liberate histamine when activated. This test measures the percentage
of activated basophils when a blood sample is in contact with an allergy-causing
agent. To accurately measure basphil activation this test uses flow
cytometry-a technique that uses a beam of light ( usually a laser )
to measure multiparameters-and produces a set of activation percentages
against each allergen tested which allows for the correct classification
of an allergy as mild , moderate or high.
Who
should get tested?
-
Children
& adults with allergy-common symptoms to food, inhalants,
etc.
-
Children
during the monitoring of the progression from a food allergy
and atopic dermatitis, to rhinitis and asthma.
-
Children
and adults undergoing allergen-specific immunotherapy.
-
Children
and adults to monitor the efficacy of allergen-specific
im-munotherapy.
-
Children
& adults before the intake of any of the common allergy
causing antibiotics, analgesics, anaesthetics or anti-inflamatories.
|
|
|
|
