Description
Background: The HAMA Enzyme Immunoassay Kit provides materials for the determination of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) in serum. This assay is intended for research use only, not for use in diagnostic procedures. HAMA are antibodies found in human serum which have the ability to bind to mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG). The presence of HAMA is the result of an immune reaction following an exposure to mice or other similar agent which was able to induce the immune system to generate an antibody able to bind to mouse IgG. HAMA is commonly found in patients following injection of murine monoclonal antibodies associated with some medical procedures. Some human auto-antibodies, the most common of which is rheumatoid factor (Rf), by virtue of their cross reactivity are able to bind mouse IgG. The HAMA assay has been designed to not be affected by rheumatoid factor. The HAMA assay measures HAMA across a wide dynamic range and it is not necessary to predilute human serum or plasma samples before the HAMA assay. However, if an elevated HAMA sample is diluted with the HAMA zero calibrator the HAMA assay has been demonstrated to yield a linear dilution of HAMA