STREPTOCOCCAL AGGLUTININS AND ANTISTREPTOLYSINS IN RHEUMATOID (ATROPHIC) ARTHRITIS

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Abstract
Agglutination of [beta] (hemolytic) streptococci at 56[degree]C in dilutions of 1/160 or higher was obtained with the sera of most patients with rheumatoid (atrophic) arthritis. Agglutination of hemolytic streptococci in high titer was not obtained with a large % of sera from other chronic arthritides. In testing for streptococcal antihemolysin (antistreptolysin) the streptol-ysin used was prepared from a scarlet fever strain of hemolytic streptococcus, and rabbit erythrocytes were used as the indicator. Antistreptolysin was demonstrated in titers definitely above the normal range in the sera of patients with proven infections by hemolytic streptococci, with acute rheumatic fever, and in the sera of 1/3 of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis.