Detection of heterophile antibodies in humans of different age group from a teritary care Hospital

Introduction: Historically heterophile antibodies have been sheep agglutinins associated with infectious mononucleosis. Present study was planned to detect heterophile antibody of different age group in humans by various animals RBC. Methods: Serum samples were collected from people of different age group, blood is allowed to clot, centrifuged, serum separated and preserved in vials. Blood is collected from rabbit, guinea pig, sheep, human and fowl. From rabbit and guinea pig blood is collected by cadiac puncture, sheep blood from jugular vein, fowl blood from the wing vein, human blood from cubital vein. Test sera are diluted in microtitre plate and RBC of various animals were added and incubated for 1 hour and observed for agglutination. Results: Of 500 sample, 252(50.4%) were from females and 248(49.6%) were from males. A total of 116(23.2%) sera did not show any agglutination against sheep RBC. 20 sera show agglutination at titer of 1:8. Against rabbit RBC only 11 showed titer of ≤ 1:8. Guinea pig RBC showed agglutination of ≥ 1:16 and as expected sera did not show any agglutination against fowl RBC.