Sorry I posted it in the wrong place so I decide to post it again here.
Once antibodies are made, do they stay in the circulation even after the disease is subdued or are they degraded by the liver? Will someone be detected to have anti-X antibody if he previously had the disease but is cured and does not have the antigen X now in his body?
The response from Kaushik is:
"Antibodies do decay after both a primary and secondary response. The rate of decay would determine whether or not you'll find Abs in the serum long after clearance of the infection. For example, the decline phase (where antibody is degraded) after a secondary response could last for months to years, so you're likely to find some Abs in the serum long after the infection has been cleared. This rate of decay is slower than in the primary response."
The question I am referring to is AAMC practice test 10 question 124. I guess in that question I have to assume that the ELISA test is done shortly after the previous exposure? Cause else wise a positive result should indicate current infection.
Once antibodies are made, do they stay in the circulation even after the disease is subdued or are they degraded by the liver? Will someone be detected to have anti-X antibody if he previously had the disease but is cured and does not have the antigen X now in his body?
The response from Kaushik is:
"Antibodies do decay after both a primary and secondary response. The rate of decay would determine whether or not you'll find Abs in the serum long after clearance of the infection. For example, the decline phase (where antibody is degraded) after a secondary response could last for months to years, so you're likely to find some Abs in the serum long after the infection has been cleared. This rate of decay is slower than in the primary response."
The question I am referring to is AAMC practice test 10 question 124. I guess in that question I have to assume that the ELISA test is done shortly after the previous exposure? Cause else wise a positive result should indicate current infection.
