Abstract
This chapter reviews some basic principles of immunology and presents current methodologies used in clinical immunology laboratory. The field of clinical immunology has evolved from serological testing for the presence of antibodies to infectious agents, to a multifaceted discipline that utilizes some of the traditional techniques in addition to many newer more sensitive assay systems. Assays developed to target specific parts of the immune system enable the clinician not only to determine if a patient has normal immune responsiveness, but also to target those parts of the immune system that are suspect of inadequate function. Serology is used to determine retrospectively if a patient was infected with a particular disease agent; antibody titers continue to have importance in diagnostics. The chapter also discusses the basic concepts related to innate immunity and acquired immunity. The chapter then elaborates methods for the evaluation of immume responses to infectious agents. The chapter concludes with elaborating the concepts of laboratory diagnosis of diseases with an immunological pathogenesis.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 157-172 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780123704917 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2008 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)