An M-associated protein antigen (MAP) of group A streptococci

Widdowson, Jean P.; Maxted, W. R.; Pinney, Alison M.

doi:10.1017/s0022172400021823

Cited by 70 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…However, S. pyogenes strains are almost invariably bacitracin sensitive and possess T and M antigens (or M-associated protein; Widdowson, Maxted & Pinney, 1971); S. milleri, on the other hand, is resistant to bacitracin (Colman & Williams, 1972) and does not form surface-protein antigens characteristic of S. pyogenes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural and biochemical characters ofStreptococcus milleristrains isolated from human sources

Ball

Parker

1979

J. Hyg.

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SUMMARYA collection of 346 strains of Streptococcus milleri from a variety of human sources was examined culturally and biochemically, and for the presence of Lancefield group antigens. Most of the strains were non-haemolytic and ungroupable, but 25 % were fi haemolytic and 19 % were a haemolytic; 28 % possessed a group antigen (A, 5 %; C, 6 %, F, 14 %, G, 3 %). These antigens were present in 69 % of f8-haemolytic but in only 13 % of a-haemolytic or non-haemolytic strains; fi haemolysis occurred in 82 % of group-F strains, 43 % of other groupable strains and 11 % of ungroupable strains.The following reactions were given by > 80 % of S. milleri strains: hydrolysis of arginine and aesculin, a positive Voges-Proskauer reaction, and acidification of trehalose, lactose, salicin and sucrose. A minority of strains showed enhancement of growth by CO2, bile tolerance, NaCl tolerance, and ability to acidify other sugars, notably mannitol, raffinose and melibiose. Departures from the modal pattern of biochemical reactions showed a weak correlation with the type of haemolysis and the presence or absence of a group antigen but were not sufficiently systematic for clear-cut subdivisions to be recognized within the species. S. milleri therefore appeared to comprise a 'central' group of non-haemolytic strains that rarely formed a Lancefield-group antigen, in which the aesculin reaction was nearly always positive, lactose was usually acidified, and a considerable minority showed enhancement of growth by C02 and bile tolerance.Deviations from this pattern were of two main types. (1) 'Loss' of one or more of these reactions, which tended to be associated with ,-haemolysis and presence of a group antigen. In these respects, a-haemolytic strains tended to occupy an intermediate position. (2) 'Gain' of the ability to acidify additional sugars, notably raffinose and melibiose or mannitol; this occurred mainly among otherwise typical non-haemolytic strains that were rarely groupable.Only 12 % of isolations from the bloodstream of patients suffering from systemic infections were , haemolytic and only 18 % possessed a group antigen, but a considerably greater proportion of those from visceral abscesses were fi haemolytic (28 %). Among isolations from superficial lesions in some body sites there were considerably greater proportions of f8-haemolytic and groupable strains; thus, nearly one-half of those isolated from the abdomen other than the female genital tract were f,-haemolytic and over one-half were groupable. On the other hand, strains from the teeth and gums were nearly always non-haemolytic and

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cultural and biochemical characters ofStreptococcus milleristrains isolated from human sources

Ball

Parker

1979

J. Hyg.

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“…In our first report on the presence of this antibody in human sera (Widdowson et al 1971) we stated that titres were higher in rheumatic fever (range 60-320) than in nephritis (range 0-80) or in sporadic uncomplicated streptococcal infection of the throat (range 0-80). We had not at that stage examined a large number of sera from cases of uncomplicated sore throat in a single outbreak.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Anti-MAP titres were determined by a complement fixation test (CFT) with the purified M-protein of a type 30 strain (Widdowson, Maxted & Pinney, 1971). The use of a type 30 M-protein virtually rules out the possibility of fixation of complement by a patient's serum due to the presence of type-specific antibodies, since type-30 infections are extremely rare in Britain.…”

Section: Streptococcal Typingmentioning

confidence: 99%

An outbreak of streptococcal sore throat and rheumatic fever in a Royal Air Force Training camp; significance of serum antibody to M-associated protein

Widdowson

Maxted

Newrick³

et al. 1974

J. Hyg.

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SUMMARYA large outbreak of streptococcal sore throat in a Royal Air Force Training Camp resulted in five cases of rheumatic fever among the 16-to 18-year-old apprentices, and one case in a 33-year-old airman. The most prevalent type of group A streptococcus isolated from throat swabs was M-type 5 and there was serological evidence that at least four of the rheumatic fever (R.F.) cases were due to this type.Among the patients with uncomplicated throat infection the anti-streptolysin O (ASO) and anti-deoxyribonuclease B (anti-DNAase B) responses were in general rather low, even where there was evidence of protective antibody against type 5. However, a combination of the results of the ASO and anti-DNAase B tests gave an estimate of the extent of streptococcal infection 15-25 % higher than did either test alone.The titres of antibody to M-associated protein (MAP) were > 60 in all the R.F. patients, and in about 50 % of the other patients with ASO titres > 200.This figure is unusually high compared with data from several other outbreaks of streptococcal infection due to different serotypes and also greatly exceeds comparable figures for cases of sporadic sore throat and acute glomerulonephritis.

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“…Recent evidence has unearthed the fact that many human sera contain antibodies to a moiety(ies) of M-protein which is closely associated with, but distinct from, the type-specific determinant (13)(14)(15)(16)288 (14,16,288) and complement fixation (288). Titration of serum levels by the latter method have revealed that the highest titers are present in patients with ARF (13 (162).…”

Section: Immunological Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%