objective(s) rapid tests for detection of streptococcus agalactiae or group b streptococci (gbs) at the onset of labor are needed to permit early intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. this study aimed to evaluate the pcr assays targeting the 16s ribosomal rna gene (16s rdna) for detection of the gbs in comparison with a specific culture method. materials and methods two swabs were used to obtain ...

A hemagglutination method employing tanned human O erythrocytes sensitized with purified Group A streptococcal polysaccharide has been developed to measure A polysaccharide antibody in antistreptococcal rabbit and human sera. The reaction of sensitized RBC with known Group A streptococcal rabbit antisera, inhibition of hemagglutination with A polysaccharide, and abolition of hemagglutination an...

Rabbit antisera against partially purified streptococcal desoxyribonuclease inhibit the action of the enzyme on its substrate. The activity of pancreatic desoxyribonuclease is not affected by these antisera. Similarly antibody against pancreatic nuclease does not inhibit the streptococcal enzyme. Certain patients develop inhibitory antibody to streptococcal desoxyribonuclease following streptoc...

Streptococcus spp are opportunistic pathogens that normally reside in the upper respiratory, intestinal, lower urinary, and genital tracts but can cause localized infection or septicemia in dogs of all ages. A retrospective study of streptococcal infection in 393 dogs was conducted to identify the species of Streptococcus isolated, determine demographics of affected dogs, and characterize the d...

G ROUP A streptococcal infection initiates acute rheumatic fever; rheumatic valvular heart disease is a sequela that develops during or subsequent to the acute rheumatic episode. The mechanism by which the preceding streptococcal infection produces the arthritic and constitutional symptoms and valvular heart disease is unknown. Regardless of the mechanism involved, there is little doubt that pr...

The observation that individuals who acquire rheumatic fever following a streptococcal infection usually respond with higher streptococcal antibody titres than those who have streptococcal infections uncomplicated by rheumatic fever has been reported repeatedly (1-7). There are exceptions, but, if rheumatics are considered as a group, this observation seems to hold true and it has led to an ass...

The development of autoimmunity in certain instances is related to infectious agents. In this report, cytotoxic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that recognize epitopes on both enteroviruses and the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes are described. Murine anti-streptococcal mAbs that were crossreactive with streptococcal M protein, human cardiac myosin, and other alpha-helical coiled-coil molecules w...

Clinical, epidemiological and microbiological studies have conclusively shown that the diagnosis of streptococcal infections based on clinical symptoms always requires microbiological verification. Beta-haemolytic streptococci are the most frequently isolated human pathogens among the representatives of the genus Streptococcus. Nearly all the beta-haemolytic streptococci possess specific carboh...

The frequency and severity of streptococcal infections and their sequelae have declined dramatically in the past century, yet the prevalence of streptococcal infections is still high. The reasons for this decline must be intimately related to host resistance, virulence of the agent, and environmental factors, especially crowding. Close examination of these fundamental influences does not reveal...