[Immunologic reactions with group-specific antigens of group A Streptococcus in rheumatic fever]. / Immunnye reaktsii s gruppospetsificheskimi antigenami streptokokka gruppy A pri revmatizme.

The levels of Group A streptococcal antigens, characterized by group specificity, incorporated in the immune complexes, were measured by enzyme immunoassay, and antibodies to group-specific polysaccharide were titered in patients with rheumatic fever of the minimal activity, running a protracted course. A statistically significant rise of these parameters was revealed in rheumatic patients as against normal subjects or patients with chronic tonsillitis with tonsillogenic cardiopathy. The diagnostic informativeness of these methods was found higher than that of antistreptolysin-O determination. The authors make a conclusion that signs of streptococcal infection persist in cases with the minimal activity of the rheumatic process and discuss rational antibiotic therapy of such patients. The described methods are recommended for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of rheumatic fever of low activity.

[Group-specific antigens of streptococci in the make-up of circulating immune complexes in rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis]. / Gruppospetsificheskie antigeny streptokokkov v sostave tsirkuliruiushchikh immunnykh kompleksov pri revmatizme i revmatoidnom artrite.

The level of "A" and "B" streptococcal antigens in the circulating immune complexes, structure and the level of antibodies to the group specific streptococcal polysaccharides in the patients with minimal activity and latent course rheumatism and in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis of different duration is studied. It is shown that the concentration of the "A" group streptococcal antigens in the circulating immune complexes is higher in rheumatic patients, than in healthy subjects and tonsillitis patients. The high "B" group streptococcal antigen content is found in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A high titer of antibodies to streptococcal polysaccharides of "B" group, especially in the synovial fluid was revealed. A possibility of streptococcal antigens and their antibodies' participation in the development of pathologic process is discussed. A value of obtained indexes in the diagnosis of small activity rheumatism and early stages of rheumatoid arthritis is shown.