[Serologic indices of the persistence of L forms of group A streptococci in patients with rheumatism].

Abstract

A study of 1343 rheumatic patients has shown that during acute disease high titres of antibodies to streptococcus L forms were detected in 76%, and were declining rapidly with clinical improvement. In protracted rheumatism, high antibody titres were maintained constantly in 70%; those were mostly IgM, incapable of blocking L-form growth. The antigen of streptococcus L form was only detected in 18-25% of the patients, obviously because it was bound to circulating immune complexes in 64%. It is suggested that streptococcal L forms are capable of prolonged persistence in the body, affecting the course of disease in rheumatic patients; possible persistence of L forms as part of immune complexes is of particular importance.

• Authors: S A Goncharova, L G Gorina, Iu V Vul'fovich, I V Zheverzheeva, A S Labinskaia
• Journal: Vestnik Akademii meditsinskikh nauk SSSR (Vestn Akad Med Nauk SSSR) Issue 6 Pg. 34-6 ( 1989) ISSN: 0002-3027 [Print] Russia (Federation)
• Vernacular Title: Serologicheskie pokazateli persistentsii L-form streptokokka gruppy A u bol'nykh revmatizmom.
• PMID: 2672671 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Antigens, Bacterial

Topics

• Antibodies, Bacterial (analysis)
• Antigens, Bacterial (analysis)
• Humans
• L Forms (immunology)
• Rheumatic Diseases (immunology)
• Streptococcus pyogenes (immunology)