REPLIES TO COMMENTS(This is not a blog entry)

Hi there Miss Chew and friends,
First, thank you Miss Chew for your kind comments and taking the time to go through even this section of the blog. Really appreciate it.(=

Up next is the answers to questions that have been posted. As you'd noticed, as the replies are rather long, a blog entry is more convenient.

To Sutiana:

Hi there Sutiana, your question is:
“is this the first test that will be conducted when the doctor request for fecal occult blood testing? bcoz here in my lab, wen such request is ordered, we carry out another test before the 0C-light test.we take 0C-light test as the confirmatory result for fecal occult blood testing.”

ANS:
Thanks for your question there, appreciate it. And yes, in the lab I’m in, this kit is just the primary screening, as in the first test that’d be done. The confirmatory test would be an endoscopic examination on the patient to observe for ulcers, lacerations etc in the lower GI of the patient. However, I’m surprised that your lab uses this as a confirmatory test as under the instruction manual for the kit, it’d said that the kit is not suitable as a substitute for confirmatory tests. So yeah, you might want to check that up.


To Xinni:

Hi there Xinni, your question is:
“since single blue line means negative and double blue line means positive…..so the antibodies on the single line that indicates negative (control) is different from that on the additional line to indicate positive? If so, what is the antigen which binds to the antibodies on the single line that indicate negative?”

ANS:
Boy thanks very much for this question. Am really glad to answer your question as I’d been thinking about how the control line functions too (as in the things involved in bringing about a positive reaction) I also did trying searching around for some information but could not find any, not about this kit directly at least. Fortunately, there are other kits in the lab too that includes a control line apart from the results. Some examples include that of the rotavirus and pregnancy screening. The same principle should probably apply to this kit as well. Thus that said, the following diagram should pretty much summarize what’s going on:


To Liyanah:

Hi there Liyanah, your questions are:
“you said that the kit is suitable for patients with hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis right, then what are the differences you would expect to see in the different diseases?and what to you mean by immunochromatographic reaction? do you mind explaining the term?”

ANS:
Well, regarding the first question, the terms “hemorrhoids”, “diverticulitis”, “colorectal cancer”, “ulcerative colitis” are just some examples on the long list of gastrointestinal disorders of which this screening is suitable(as in the side points). These are not diseases but symptoms (except for colorectal cancer). Nonetheless, I believe you might find the following descriptions to each of the terms helpful:
Hemorrhoroids: swelling/inflammation of veins in anus/lower rectum
Diverticulitis: rupture of lining in the colon, resulting in inflammation
colorectal cancer: colon/ rectal cancer
ulcerative colitis: ulcers/ sores in the colon

Also, the term “immunochromatographic” is from the two words “immunology” and “chromatography”. Thus that said, as “chromatography” implies, the reaction comprises of the migration of molecules (this would include antibodies, antigens etc as immunology implies) along the membrane on the test strip via capillary action.

To Dyana:

Hi there Dyana, your question is:
“You mentioned that the OC-light is a screening test rather than a confirmatory test rite? And presence of 2 blue lines would indicate that the result is positive rite? So it will indicate the patient is suffering from either of these;hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis, these of which give rise to abnormal bleeding thus found in the stool samples. Is there any follow up test that the doctor would request to ensure what disease the patient is suffering?”

ANS:
Well, thanks too for your question(s). As your question is slightly similar to Liyanh’s, I believe you would find my reply to her helpful too. Anyhow, just as I’d mentioned to Sutiana too, this kit is just a screening procedure and a confirmatory test, endoscopic examination, would have to be carried out. So for instance, if the cause of the intestinal bleeding is colorectal cancer, you’d probably expect to find some suspiciously abnormal lumps along the inner walls of the colon or rectum.

Alrights. Thanks all once again for your questions! Hope the answers satisfy once again! Outta here.

Alexander Soo TG02
0608122H