IIF diagnostic tests were introduced in the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases

As a result of a donation of fluorescence microscope EUROStar III Plus and ELISA Analyzer 1-2P made by company MEDICOM Ltd Bijeljina and necessary education of personnel which was conducted in Germany (EUROIMMUN, Lübeck), the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases was enabled to conduct diagnostic tests as well as to monitor effects of therapy in patients with autoimmune bullous dermatoses.

Indirect immunofluorescence tests are used for detection of circulating antibodies in the serum of patients suffering from diseases from pemphigus group (anti-desmoglein 1, anti-desmoglein 3) and diseases from pemphigoid group (anti-BP180,anti-BP230). Introducing this semi-quantitative method for screening and confirmation of diagnosis in the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases has facilitated establishing the diagnosis, monitoring the course of disease and therapeutic effect in patients with severe chronic diseases that can endanger lives of patients in the periods of acutization. Diseases are characterized by occurring of blisters and/or erosions on the skin and/or mucous membranes because of localization of specific antigens in the structures of skin and mucous membrane, and they very often affect quality of lives of patients. Therefore, it is of great importance to administer therapy properly and to monitor course of disease regularly. It is enabled by quantitative ELISA tests that are carried out in the Institute of Microbiology.

Evaluation and interpretation of IIF tests are performed by Head of the Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases, Primarius Milanka Celic, MD, who underwent educational training in a reference laboratory of the company EUROIMMUN, Germany. Owing to these activities, we open the door to development of immunodermatology and to establishing more intensive cooperation with experts in the region. In this way, we have enhanced health protection of patients who had to be referred to other medical centres in order to perform IIF test. Also, we have significantly reduced costs and speeded up diagnostic processes and further course of treatment. The Clinic of Skin and Venereal Diseases of the UH Clinical Centre Banjaluka is the unique organizational unit in the Republic of Srpska in which this type of testing is carried out.