Endemic Nephritis and Streptococcal Infections in South Trinidad

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Abstract
Surveillance of streptococcal infections has been continued in South Trinidad following a major epidemic of acute glomerulonephritis. Observations made during the first postepidemic year (July 1966 to July 1967) are described in the present report. Skin lesions, streptococcal infections, and serum antibody titers are compared in 148 patients with nephritis and 101 clinically well school children as well as in 882 members of patients' families and 667 members of families without nephritis. Skin lesions were as common among the "well" school children as they had been during the epidemic while streptococci were isolated even more frequently from these lesions. However, prevalent types of streptococci differed from those found in 1965. Antistreptolysin O titers were less often increased in patients while antihyaluronidase titers continued to be elevated in all groups. Anti-group A carbohydrate titers were increased in patients.