Complement Fixation

Abstract

It would seem politically correct to some that the adage “old habits never die” should be engraved or framed above the laboratory bench where CF serology for M. pneumoniae is performed. Whereas CF serology in many other microbiological diagnostic realms has given way to innovation, the time-honoured CF test has preserved a niche in this context. In contrast to the many other diagnostic technologies for M. pneumoniae infection, but similar to the study of cold agglutinins, there has been an enormous effort invested in standardizing, applying, and understanding the use of CF serology. Such efforts parallel the work which was performed for other microbial CF assays. Prior to the use of the CF test for M. pneumoniae serodiagnosis, applications of CF in the area of mycoplasmology had already begun many years earlier. These efforts continued on the theme of quantitating the detection of an antibody response which could “fix” complement in the presence of homologous antigen. An indicator system for complement fixation (usually red blood cells and hemolysis) would be required.