Quantitative Antistreptokinase Studies in Patients Infected With Group a Hemolytic Streptococci: A Comparison With Serum Antistreptolysin and Gamma Globulin Levels With Special Reference to the Occurrence of Rheumatic Fever 1

A Comparative Study of Antihy Aluronidase, Antistreptolysin “O,” Antistreptokinase, and Streptococcal Agglutination Titers in Patients With Rheumatic Fever, Acute Hemolytic Streptococcal Infections, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Non-Rheumatoid Forms of Arthritis 1

“…It has been reported that early and effective penicillin therapy (16,45) or occasionally sulfonamide therapy (46) will suppress or entirely inhibit the antibody response to streptolysin or streptokinase. The absence of any significant difference between the penicillin and sulfonamide treated patients in the streptococcal infections and the "non-treated" group with streptococcal infections in relation to streptococcal antibodies is possibly related to the relatively small doses of drugs administered and the comparatively short periods of administration, this method of therapy being Although the number of patients observed is small and there is some overlapping of the frequency distribution graphs of the four antibodies, a general pattern for the four antibodies studied has been outlined in Table I for the patients with rheumatic fever, active, rheumatoid arthritis, and non-rheumatoid forms of arthritis.…”

“…This substance which inhibits streptokinase may increase in patients following acute infections with the hemolytic streptococcus (22). The studies of Mote and Jones (11) and Anderson, Kunkel and McCarthy (16) furnished further evidence of the specificity of streptococcal streptokinase; they also demonstrated a rise in antistreptokinase titer following hemolytic streptococcal infections.…”

“…More recent studies have confirmed these earlier observations that the antistreptolysin "O" titer increases significantly following hemolytic streptococcal infections of the upper respiratory tract and during rheumatic fever. These studies include the work of Kalbak (12, 13) Rantz, Boisvert, and Spink (14), Windblad, Malmros, and Wilander (15), and Anderson, Kunkel, and McCarthy (16). A rise in antistreptolysin titer usually can be demonstrated during the second and third week following an acute hemolytic streptococcal infection and a titer above 200 units generally has been considered as serological evidence of a recent infection with the hemolytic streptococcus.…”

Studies on the Prevention of Rheumatic Fever: The Effect of Time of Initiation of Treatment of Streptococcal Infections on the Immune Response of the Host 1

“…Previous studies have established the fact that penicillin treatment of acute streptococcal pharyngitis results in a marked suppression of antibody formation (1,2,3). This is in contrast to the failure of penicillin treatment to alter the immune response in patients with pneumococcal pneumonia (4).…”

Antibody Response to Non-Streptococcal Antigens as Related to Rheumatic Fever Susceptibility 1

“…Others have shown that hemolytic streptococcal respiratory infection complicated by rheumatic fever is associated with higher mean antistreptococcal antibody titers than is the uncomplicated illness (11,12), and the conclusion from such data has Deen that an immunologic hyperreactivity in such susceptible individuals may be fundamental for the development of rheumatic fever. Our studies have aimed to determine whether such supposed immunologic hyperreactivity of rheumatic subjects is confined to the streptococcus alone or whether one may also detect a more general augmentation of antibody response to non-streptococcal antigens as well.…”