Aspects of immune response to gonococcal infection

Abstract

Since the discovery of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Albert Neisser in 1879» considerable advances have been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of and immune response to gonococcal infection. Although N. gonorrhoeae principally affects mucous membranes, most studies in the immunology of gonorrhoea have considered the serological, response only. It was the purpose of the present study to examine the local humoral immune response of tissues infected with !■:, gonorrhoeae and to determine if the detection of antibodies in the secretion could facilitate the diagnosis of gonococcal infection.