Agglutinating Antibodies in Serum and Feces

Abstract

Fecal extracts and sera from a number of cases of Flexner and Sonne types of dysentery have been tested with so-called phase antigens from wild type Shigella paradysenteriae W, Shigella sonnei and certain of their serologically “non-specific” mutants. Serum and fecal extracts were found to differ in the titer and in the specificity of their agglutinins. This, coupled with the fact that they appear at different times during the course of disease, suggests that they are synthesized in different parts of the body. We are indebted to Dr. Koibong Li and S/Sgt. D. J. Yackanich for technical assistance throughout these studies.