Rheumatic Fever, Autoimmunity, and Molecular Mimicry: The Streptococcal Connection

Streptococcal Agglutinins in Rheumatic Fever.

Although considerable evidence has accumulated that rheumatic fever is a streptococcal infection, attempts to demonstrate specific streptococcal agglutinins in the serums of patients with tWis disease have met with only a moderate degree of success. Tunnicliff (1) performed agglutination reactions with the serums of twelve rheumatic fever patients against strains of Micrococcus rheumaticus and ...

Autoimmunity and molecular mimicry in the pathogenesis of post-streptococcal heart disease.

Molecular mimicry between pathogen and host has been proposed as a mechanism for the development of autoimmune diseases. Evidence suggests that microorganisms contain proteins which are similar enough to host proteins that they can stimulate existing B and T cells to respond to self proteins. The loss of immune regulation during responses against microbial antigens may explain development of pa...

Streptococcal antibody tests in rheumatic fever.

Although the incidence of rheumatic fever has declined significantly over the last decade, testing for antibodies to streptococcal extracellular enzymes maintains an important role in differentiating this disease from others with similar characteristics. Detection of antibodies to streptolysin O and DNase-B remain the more popular single antibody tests while the streptozyme test, which detects ...

Acute rheumatic fever following streptococcal wound infection.

OKADA, S. & O'BRIEN, J.S. (1968) Generalised gangliosidosis; 1-galactosidase deficiency. Science, Washington, 160, 1002. SACREZ, R., JUIF, J.G., GIGONNET, J.M. & GRUNER, J.E. (1967) La maladie de Landing, ou idiotie amaurotique infantile precoce avec gangliosidose g6neralisee de type GM1. Journe'e de Pidiatrie, 22, 143. ScoTT, C.R., LAGUNOFF, D. & TRUMP, B.F. (1967) Familial neurovisceral lipid...

Role of autoimmunity in rheumatic fever