Tetanus antitoxin seroprevalence in patients with Behçet's disease

Scand J Infect Dis. 2003;35(5):299-301. doi: 10.1080/00365540310008410.

Abstract

Anti-tetanus antibody status was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 82 patients with Behçet's disease and 79 healthy individuals. 76 patients with Behçet's disease (92.7%) and 74 healthy controls (93.7%) had protective antibody titres against tetanus, with geometric mean levels of 1.0194 +/- 1.2755 and 1.3899 +/- 1.6533 IU/ml, respectively. The difference between the 2 groups was not statistically significant. There was a significant inverse correlation between antitoxin titres and age in patient and control groups. These findings imply that patients with Behçet's disease have intact overall immunity against tetanus.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Behcet Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Behcet Syndrome / immunology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cohort Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Probability
  • Reference Values
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Tetanus / prevention & control*
  • Tetanus Antitoxin / immunology*

Substances

  • Tetanus Antitoxin