SKIN REACTIONS TO NUCLEOPROTEIN OF STREPTOCOCCUS SCARLATINAE IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATIC FEVER

Abstract
Acute rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis (59 cases) gave 70% of positive skin reactions to the nucleoprotein of a strain of Strep. scarlatinae. Of 207 controls without rheumatic fever or rheumatoid arthritis, 44%, and of 20 patients with respiratory infection, associated with hemolytic streptococci, 95% showed positive reactions. There was no correlation between positive skin tests and presence of agglutinins in the blood serum. The positive skin reaction was regarded as an evidence of allergy to the nucleoprotein of the hemolytic streptococcus.