Patent ID: 8557606

Claim:
Immunological test for the detection and the specific determination of autoantibodies against testicular antigens which are associated with inflammation-related fertility disorders which are silent or symptomatically progressing inflammations of the testicles, epididymis, seminal ducts or accessory glands of male mammals in a biological sample of a male mammal, which is characterized in that the test comprises binding of these autoantibodies to the specific testicular antigen, wherein autoantibodies against testicular antigens selected from the group consisting of ER-60 autoantibodies and transferrin autoantibodies, are determined, said immunological test comprises the steps of: providing a biological sample from the male mammal, providing immobilized protein ER-60 and/or transferrin in recombinant form as a testicular antigen, contacting said sample of a male mammal with said immobilized specific testicular antigen, carrying out a quantitative detection of a first value of ER-60 autoantibodies and/or transferrin autoantibodies against testicular antigens ER-60 and/or transferrin present in the biological sample by specific binding to the respective immobilized testicular antigen, respectively, and comparing said first value with a reference value.