[Antibodies to viruses in children with diabetes mellitus].

Serological studies were carried out in the time course of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in 419 children, among whom paired sera from 66 were studied in the very beginning of diabetes mellitus. By seroconversion in 83% of the children early in the disease, different, frequently mixed virus infections were diagnosed: Coxsackie B2, B3, B4 (46%), rubella (41%), influenza A, B, C (38%), parainfluenza types 1-3 (35%), mumps (23%), adenovirus infection (18%), HB virus infection (4.5%).

[Use of Mancini's method of simple radial immunodiffusion].

The sensitivity of Mancini's test of simple radial immunodiffusion depends upon a number of conditions which in certain combinations may increase the sensitivity of the test 4-5-fold. Using empirical formulas a table has been composed stating the sizes of precipitation ring diameters at different concentrations of antiglobulin sera and dilutions of standard sera. Using this table, the optimal concentration of antiglobulin sera in agar may be calculated with minimal number of preliminary tests.