ANTISTREPTOLYSIN CONTENT OF THE BLOOD SERUM IN RHEUMATIC FEVER AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

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Abstract
The antistreptolysin content of blood serum from cases of rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis as well as from normals and from cases of scarlatina, erysipelas, acute follicular tonsillitis, infections due to other microorganisms, and from other joint diseases, was studied. Streptococcal hemolysin was prepared by a modification of Todd''s method and the NY5 strain of Streptococcus scarlatinae was used; and 592 determinations of antistreptolysin titer of blood sera of 220 individuals were made. In proved hemolytic streptococcal infections, the blood serum generally contained a higher titer of antistreptolysin than in normals or in infections by other microorganisms. Patients with rheumatic fever, generally, had antistreptolysin titers comparable to those in known cases of hemolytic streptococcal diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of joint disease were not accompanied by increase of this antibody. Antistreptolysin was shown to be an antibody separate and distinct from streptococcal antitoxin and agglutinins, and unrelated to skin sensitivity to the nucleoprotein of Strep. scarlatinae.