No abstract

No abstract

Summary The “optimal” concentrations of antibody (in mouse-protective units) required for the detection of capsular polysaccharide in blood, broth, and saline solution showed only slight variation among the types I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and XIV, and the “optimal” concentrations of specific soluble substance required for the detection of antibody were practically identical for these types. The minimal concentrations of SSS detectable in the different media as well as the minimal concentrations of precipitins detectable varied only slightly. The significance of these observations for the immunological study of pneumococcal pneumonia patients is discussed.

Summary and Conclusions The minimal amount of specific soluble substance detectable after its addition to normal urine, and the optimal amount of rabbit antibody required for detection, was investigated for pneumococcal types I, II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, and XIV. The minimal concentration detectable for I, III, IV, and XIV was 1:200,000 and for II, V, VII, and VIII, 1:400,000. The optimal antibody unitage required varied from 125 to 500 units per cubic centimeter. Concentration of urine containing specific soluble substance yielded roughly equal increases in the concentration of specific soluble substance. The precipitative reaction in urine has been successfully employed to identify the infecting type of pneumococcus in patients whose sputa yielded several types. Pooled rabbit sera, as used in Neufeld typing methods, were successfully employed for the detection of capsular polysaccharide in urine. Centrifugation at 2,000 r.p.m. for 30 minutes, immediately after mixture of urine and antiserum, yielded positive reactions in the full expected range. These reactions are generally more evident than are the reactions obtained after 20 hours by the usual procedure of incubation at 37° for 2 hours and refrigeration overnight. Upon the basis of these experiences we propose the following procedure for the routine detection of urinary polysaccharide, for the 8 types studied (table 5).