STREPTOCOCCAL AGGLUTININS IN CHRONIC INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS 1

Abstract

Of sera from 110 cases of chronic infectious arthritis, 103 gave a strong specific agglutination with "typical strains" of streptococci recoverable from blood and joints of patients with this disease. Of 218 controls, some gave no agglutination; others, weakly positive. Chronic infectious arthritis can be differentiated from degenerative arthritis and from chronic polyarthritis following rheumatic fever, by the agglutination reaction. The agglutination reactions suggest different etiologies for the 3 forms of arthritis. A close antigenic relationship between "typical strain" streptococci and the hemolytic streptococci from scarlatina and erysipelas is established.