Bacteriolytic and bactericidal activity of maternal and cord sera. Relationship to complement, lysozyme, transferrin, and immunoglobulin levels

Abstract

Bacteriolytic activity and its relationship to the level of immunoglobulins, complement, lysozyme, and transferrin was measured in 20 pairs and bactericidal activity in 6 pairs of maternal and cord serum. Escherichia coli Lilly, an organism easily lysed by normal human serum and four other Gram-negative bacteria were used.Cord sera invariably had lower bacteriolytic and bactericidal activity than their corresponding maternal sera. No statistically significant relationship between these activities and the level of immunoglobulins, complement, lysozyme, or transferrin was detected. A higher level of lysozyme was unable to compensate for the lower levels of other factors in the cord sera.