Patent EA-003104-B1 (EA)
Title: Predisposition to infection associated with intense exercise or other stress
Inventor: CLANCY ROBERT LLEWELLYN
IPC: G01N33/68
Filed: 2000-02-10
Abstract: 1. A method for assessing potential susceptibility to infection in a subject exposed to a stressor or stressors including: (a) determination of the subject's immunoglobulin A (IgA) level in a training phase; and (b) prediction of the subject's susceptibility to infection by comparison of the training phase IgA level with a predetermined threshold value. 2. A method for assessing potential susceptibility to infection in a subject exposed to a stressor or stressors including: (a) determination of the subject's immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) level; and (b) prediction of the subject's susceptibility to infection by comparison of the IgA1 level with a predetermined threshold value. 3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined in early training phase. 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the infection is a mucosal infection. 5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the infection is a respiratory infection. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the threshold value is a normal population threshold value. 7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the threshold value is an internal personal threshold value. 8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the immunoglobulin is secretory immunoglobulin. 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the secretory immunoglobulin is salivary immunoglobulin. 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the salivary immunoglobulin is from a sample of whole unstimulated saliva. 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the subject is not fasting when the saliva is collected. 12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the subject is an athlete. 13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the athlete is an elite swimmer. 14. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the stressor is known to influence the efficacy of the immune system. 15. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the subject is exposed to a physical and/or psychological stressor. 16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the physical and/or psychological stressor is long-term physical training or overtraining. 17. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by radial immunodiffusion. 18. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by ELISA. 19. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by a rapid near-subject assay. 20. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein the saliva is analysed for the immunoglobulin content in situ by contacting an assay device or system with the saliva of a subject. 21. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 20 wherein the assay is a self test performed by the subject. 22. A method for monitoring a subject's progress following intervention therapy including: (a) determination of the subject's IgA1 level; and (b) monitoring the subject's progress by comparison of said IgA1 level with a predetermined threshold value. 23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the IgA1 level is assessed from a sample of the subject's saliva. 24. A method for assessing the impact of a stressor or stressors on a subject's performance and/or fatigue levels, as defined herein, including: (a) determination of the subject's salivary IgA1 level; and (b) assessing the impact of the stressor or stressors on the subject's performance and/or fatigue levels by comparison of said IgA1 level with a predetermined threshold value. 25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the subject is an athlete. 26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the athlete is an elite swimmer. 27. A method for assessing potential susceptibility to respiratory infection in an elite swimmer, including: (a) determining the swimmer's salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) level in early training phase; and (b) predicting the swimmer's potential susceptibility to respiratory infection by comparison of the early training phase IgA level with a predetermined threshold value. 28. A method for assessing potential susceptibility to respiratory infection in an elite swimmer, including: (a) determining the swimmer's salivary immunoglobulin A1(IgA1) level in early training phase; and (b) predicting the swimmer's potential susceptibility to respiratory infection by comparison of the early training phase IgA1 level with a predetermined threshold value. 29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the threshold value is a normal population threshold value. 30. A method according to claim 28 wherein the threshold value is an internal personal threshold value. 31. A method for assessing a subject's potential susceptibility to infection including: (a) determining the subject's immunoglobulin A(IgA) level after exposure to a stressor or stressors; (b) allowing a recovery period as herein defined; (c) determining the subject's IgA level after the recovery period; (d) predicting the subject's potential susceptibility to infection by comparison of the IgA level at step (a) above with the IgA level at step (c) above. 32. A method for assessing a subject's potential susceptibility to infection including: (a) determining the subject's immunoglobulin A1(IgA1) level after exposure to a stressor or stressors; (b) allowing a recovery period as herein defined; (c) determining the subject's IgA1 level after the recovery period; (d) predicting the subject's potential susceptibility to infection by comparison of the IgA1 level at step (a) above with the IgA1 level at step (c) above. 33. A method according to claim 31 or 32 wherein the infection is a mucosal infection. 34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the infection is a respiratory infection. 35. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 34 wherein the immunoglobulin is secretory immunoglobulin. 36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the secretory immunoglobulin is salivary immunoglobulin. 37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the salivary immunoglobulin is from a sample of whole unstimulated saliva. 38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the subject is not fasting when the saliva is collected. 39. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 38 wherein the subject is an athlete. 40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the athlete is an elite swimmer. 41. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 40 wherein the stressor is known to influence the efficacy of the immune system. 42. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 40 wherein the subject is exposed to a physical and/or psychological stressor. 43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the physical and/or psychological stressor is long-term physical training or overtraining. 44. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 43 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by radial immunodiffusion. 45. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 43 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by ELISA. 46. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 45 wherein the immunoglobulin level is determined by a rapid near-subject assay. 47. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 46 wherein the saliva is analysed for the immunoglobulin content in situ by contacting an assay device or system with the saliva of a subject. 48. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 47 wherein the assay is a self test performed by the subject.