Circulating immune complexes in African mothers and their newborns.

Circulating immune complexes were measured using the Clq-binding test in 185 African mothers and their newborns at delivery. Results were compared to non-pregnant African women, healthy European blood donors and to a group of European mothers and their newborns. Clq-binding activity was increased in African mothers and in non-pregnant African women. Circulating immune complexes rarely occurred in cord blood even when mothers showed a high Clq-binding activity. The levels of immune complexes were unrelated to malaria. Complement components Clq and C3 were lower in the newborns than in the mothers.