Variation with Age of Antistreptococcal Antibodies and Their Correlation With Antistreptolysin O Titers in Human Sera.

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Abstract
The immunnogenic response to streptococcal antigens of normal individuals of different ages in a tropical environment was studied by the gel-diffusion method. Sera from umbilical cord blood examined against a whole culture concentrate of type 3, Group A, beta hemolytic Streptococcus gave 1 to 3 bands of precipitation with an average of 2.2 bands per individual. In the first 3 to 4 months of life the average number of bands per individual diminished sharply to almost complete absence. During the 4 to 11 month period an average of 0.13 was obtained. On the 12th month the band average rose to 0.6 and in adults to 2.45, only slightly higher than the cord blood level. These findings are interpreted on the basis of transplacental transfer of antibodies which are short lived and reappear with subsequent streptococcal infection later in life. A close correlation was found between number of bands and antistreptolysin O titers, not apparent when individual cases were compared. With each increase in number of bands there was a corresponding increase in antistreptolysin O titer.

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