Chlamydia pneumoniae antigens, method for production of the antigens, method and reagents for measurement of anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies using the antigens

Abstract

The present invention relates to a Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen comprising protein derived from the outer membrane of Chlamydia pneumoniae, a method for producing a Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen which comprises solubilizing the cytosol and the cytoplasmic membrane of Chlamydia pneumoniae elementary body with an ionic detergent, and then removing the solubilized portion to obtain the residue, a method for measuring an anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody which comprises using the Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen, and a reagent for measuring anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody, said reagent comprising the Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen. In accordance with the present invention, there are provided a Chlamydia pneumoniae antigen which has a high species-specificity, very few clinically problematic false negatives, and few false positives, a method for producing said antigen, a method for measuring an anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody, and a reagent for measuring an anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.