Classes of antibodies in acute gonorrhoea.

In patients with acute gonorrhoea the antibody responses to envelope antigens of Neisseria gonorrhoea were investigated with a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IgG antibodies predominated even early in the disease but IgM and IgA antibodies were present. Surprisingly there were circulating antibodies linked to secretory piece. These were largely but not entirely IgA and were presumed to have been absorbed from sites of local production.