Antigenic Drift Nature of antigenic variation: Minor Mechanism: Gradual accumulation of amino acid substitutions due to point mutation in the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N)…
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Microbiology
Bedside Cold Agglutinin Test for Mycoplasma
Definition of Cold Agglutinin Cold agglutinins are polyclonal IgM that have specificity against the I-antigen on red cells, and often there is light chain restriction,…
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Rickettsial Diseases Made Easy
Important features of Rickettsia and Rickettsial Diseases Obligate intracellular parasites like Chlamydia – can survive only in host cells Cannot produce their own ATP, so…
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Interpreting Hepatitis B Serology in 5 Easy steps
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) Appears during incubation period (1-6 months), 2-7 weeks prior to symptoms. Peaks when the patient is most ill. Becomes undetectable…
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Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Made Easy
What is Polymerase Chain Reaction ? It is a process of artificial DNA replication (amplification of a selected part of DNA). As the name suggests:…
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Complement Pathway – Explained
The complement system is composed of about 20 different proteins released into the blood after production in the liver. They interact in coordinated and regulated way…
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