by Yogi P - October 5, 2023

Full form of CFT

CFT stands for Complement Fixation Test. It is a blood test that detects antibodies to a specific infection. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to fight infection.

How does CFT work?

A CFT works by mixing the patient’s serum with antigens from the suspected infection. If the patient has antibodies to the infection, they will bind to the antigens. Complement, a protein in the blood, will then bind to the antigen-antibody complex. This process is called complement fixation.

If complement is fixed, it will not be able to bind to other antibodies. This means that if the patient has antibodies to other infections, they will not be able to cause complement fixation. This is called inhibition.

What does a CFT result mean?

A positive CFT result indicates that the patient has antibodies to the infection being tested for. This does not necessarily mean that the patient is currently infected, but it does mean that they have been exposed to the infection at some point in the past.

A negative CFT result indicates that the patient does not have antibodies to the infection being tested for. This may mean that the patient has never been exposed to the infection, or it may mean that their infection is too new for antibodies to have developed yet.

When is a CFT used?

CFT is used to diagnose a wide variety of infections, including:

• Syphilis
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Mononucleosis
• Tuberculosis
• And many more
• Advantages of CFT

CFT is a relatively simple and inexpensive test. It is also very sensitive, meaning that it can detect even very low levels of antibodies. However, CFT can also be cross-reactive, meaning that it can give a positive result for infections other than the one being tested for.

Conclusion

CFT is a useful test for diagnosing a variety of infections. It is a relatively simple, inexpensive, and sensitive test. However, it is important to note that CFT can be cross-reactive, so a positive result should always be interpreted in light of the patient’s clinical history and other test results.