Polyene antibiotics in assessing significance of antistreptolysin O activity.
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Antistreptolysin O activity in serum is due either to antibody or to altered lipoprotein molecules. The latter can be inhibited by performing antistreptolysin tests using a polyene antibiotic such as amphotericin B as diluent. (+info)
Automated determination of anti-streptolysin O antibodies by a kinetic hemolytic method.
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An automated method which uses oxidized Streptolysin O and determines the anti-Streptolysin O titer in whole blood without dilution of the sample is described. The addition of a reducing agent starts the hemolysis at an initial rate which is inversely proportional to the anti-Streptolysin O titer of the sample. An instrument (Taso-matic), designed to automatically execute all of the procedures, was used. Comparison between the described method and the classical hemolytic method gave the following linear regression slope y = 1.06x-13 (r = 0.974). Precision of the method at two different anti-Streptolysin O titers (200 and 500 IU), expressed as relative standard deviation, was 12.1 and 4.7% in the between-run procedure and 10.1 and 4.9% in the within-run procedure, respectively. (+info)
M-associated protein antibodies in patients with rheumatic fever.
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Sequential serum samples obtained from 50 rheumatic fever subjects and from control individuals matched for time, age and geographical location were tested for antibodies against the M-associated protein antigens, MAP I and MAP II. Antibody titres were determined by the complement fixation test with a partially-purified extract of Streptococcus pyogenes serotype M30 as the MAP I antigen and an acid extract of serotype M48 as the MAP II antigen. Titres of MAP I antibody exceeded those of MAP II antibody in all but six rheumatic fever subjects. Anti-MAP I titres in excess of 40 were significantly more common in rheumatic fever subjects than in matched controls (p less than 0.001) or matched subjects with a diagnosis of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (p less than 0.01). Peak MAP I titres were present at the time of admission to hospital in the sera of 40 of the 50 rheumatic fever subjects. In the remainder peak titres occurred within 10 days. Antibody titres were maintained for a mean of 10.3 weeks before declining. Changes in MAP antibody titres were independent of changes in antistreptolysin O and anti-DNAase B titres. Normal children aged between 6 and 15 had higher MAP antibody titres than 2-5-year-old children. Rheumatic fever subjects had significantly higher mean titres of MAP I antibody than matched controls in each age group. (+info)
Extremely high titers of serum antibodies against the streptococcal exoenzyme deoxyribonuclease B.
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In sera from 4 of 25,000 individuals tested for antibodies against streptococci, extremely high antideoxyribonuclease B titers ( > 10(6) U/ml) were found. Two of the cases were diagnosed as monoclonal gammopathies. The M-components were shown to possess the anti-deoxyribonuclease B activity. The other two cases were diagnosed as relapsing erysipelas. The high serum titers of deoxyribonuclease B antibodies were accompanied by a very inflammatory reactivity in the patients' sera and by an oligopolyclonal pattern of immunoglobulin G. In routine diagnoses of streptococcal infections with the anti-deoxyribonuclease B test, patients with extremely high serum titers should be examined for the possible occurrence of gammopathies. (+info)
M-9337, a new antistreptolysin, produced by Streptomyces sp.
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A new biologically active substance, M-9337, was obtained from Streptomyces strain M-9337, a soil isolate. The producing organism was subsequently determined to be a new strain and named Streptomyces antihaemolyticus M-9337. The active substance was prepared as white yellow powder from culture broth by solvent extraction and silica gel thin-layer chromatography. It showed no antimicrobial activity and potent inhibitory activity against streptolysin, a type of hemolysin. (+info)
Immunological aspects of nephrotic syndrome in northern Nigeria.
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Immunological aspects of 40 northern Nigerian children with nephrotic syndrome of recent onset are reported. Eight our of 30 had hepatitis-associated antigen in their sera. Hypocomplementaemia was rare. Measurement of serum C3, C4, and ASOT was not of diagnostic value. Proteinuria selectivity index was poor in half of the patients, and appeared t o depend on the severity of the kidney lesion. Abnormal immunofluorescence of kidney glomeruli to immunoglobulins, complement, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium falciparum was found in 26 of the 29 children. The pattern of immunofluorescence was chiefly granular and was confined to the glomeruli. IgM was predominant. It was concluded that immunological reaction is involved in the pathogenesis of nephrotic syndrome in northern Nigerian children. (+info)
Streptococcal antibodies in patients with burn injuries.
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Serum samples from 14 patients whose burns had become infected with streptococci of groups A (11 patients), C (one patient) or G (two patients), and from 19 burned patients without bacteriological evidence of streptococcal infection were examined for anti-streptococcal antibodies. Tests were made for anti-streptolysin O (ASO), anti-hyaluronidase (AH), anti-deoxyribonuclease B (anti-DNAase B) and antibody against M-associated protein (MAP). Sera from the patients with streptococcal infections were also examined, when this was practicable, for 'bactericidal' (anti-M) antibody and for antibody against the opacity factor (OF) of the infecting serotype. In patients infected with group A streptococci, the ASO response was generally poor, except in patients infected with strains of type T12/M12, and the AH response was rather similar, but most of the patients gave a rapid and vigorous anti-DNAase B response, except when the burn was small or colonization occurred very late. Antibody to the M and MAP antigens, and to OF (when the infecting strain formed this), was weak and transient, or absent, except in three of four patients infected with streptococci of type T12/M12. (+info)
Various rheumatic syndromes in adult patients associated with high antistreptolysin O titres and their differential diagnosis with rheumatic fever.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyse retrospectively adult patients with acute joint or muscle symptoms and a high antistreptolysin O (ASO) titre to find out which syndromes of clinical arthritis are associated with serological evidence of streptococcal infection. METHODS: Seventy six adult patients with an acute arthritis syndrome or an exacerbation in their chronic rheumatic disease and simultaneously a high ASO titre (> or = 500 Todd units) were examined in two time periods in the 1980s. RESULTS: Twenty six patients had arthritis associated with a known rheumatic disease, 25 had non-specific arthralgia/myalgia, 20 had reactive arthritis, and five had septic arthritis. No case of classic rheumatic fever classified by two major criteria was found. Six patients fulfilled one major and at least two minor criteria. The frequency of HLA-B27 was significantly higher in the whole patient group than in the healthy Finnish population (30 v 14%). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that classic rheumatic fever is now rare, even in patients with arthritis with a high ASO titre. These results support the suggestion that beta haemolytic streptococci may trigger reactive arthritis as well as rheumatic fever. (+info)