THE DURATION OF THE HEMAGGLUTININ RESPONSE IN THE SERUM OF CHILDREN WITH SHIGELLOSIS AND SALMONELLOSIS

Abstract

A study of the duration of the hemagglutinin response in the serum in 18 children with shigellosis and/or salmonellosis (total of 20 infections) revealed that, in the absence of the chronic carrier state or chronic or recurrent infection, a substantial reduction in the hemagglutinin titer in the serum or a return to normal titer took place within a period of from 4 months to 2 years. This decrease was not paralleled by similar changes in the titers of hemagglutinins against heterologous enteric bacteria, nor was the hemagglutinin response to the infection associated with a parallel rise of heterologous hemagglutinins. The hemagglutinin titers were invariably higher (from 2-to 64-fold) than those of the bacterial agglutinins. The usefulness of the enterobacterial hemagglutination method for the detection of subclinical enterobacterial infections is illustrated. Criteria for the serologic diagnosis of these maladies are presented.