Type-Specific Immunity and Pharyngeal Acquisition of Group a Streptococcus

Abstract

A prospective study of spread of M-type 1, 2, 13, 14, 25 and 60 group A Streptococcus in 64 families in Qalyub, Egypt, in 1972-1974 showed that type-specific serum bactericidal antibody does not protect against pharyngeal acquisition of homologous organisms. The presence of type-specific antibody also does not appear to affect duration of carriage of the organism. Type-specific immunity must be mediated in another way, such as by local antibody or trough prevention of infection (as evidenced by a host response) following acquisition. This study also confirms the observations of others that administration of penicillin lowers the probability that a person who acquires group A Streptococcus will develop type-specific antibody.

Opsonization of T1M1 Group A Streptococcus: Dynamics of Antibody Production and Strain Specificity

“…This is consistent with the findings of an early study by Lancefield [13]. It was noted early that antibiotic treatment might reduce the development of opsonizing antibodies after a streptococcal infection [11,15,16]. Whether this was an important factor in reducing the induction of opsonizing antibodies in our study cannot be determined, since most patients in developed countries are treated with antibiotics.…”

“…Since Lancefield's early study was reported [13], the capacity of serum samples ("sera") for opsonization of GAS isolates has been analyzed mostly in experimental studies [14]. To our knowledge, few patient-based studies have been performed [15][16][17]. Classic studies of opsonization involve direct or indirect bactericidal tests, which are time and labor consuming.…”

Typing of Streptococcus pyogenes Strains Isolated from Throat Infections in the Region of Aachen, Germany

“…Previous studies have shown that the formation of opsonic antibodies to the M protein does not affect the pharyngeal acquisition of S. pyogenes or the duration of carriage [13]. However, the knowledge of the type distribution and changes in the prevalence over years of S. pyogenes for an individual region or country is important, because it has been postulated that as the proportion of the population with opsonic antibodies to individual M types increases, the occurrence of symptomatic or invasive diseases caused by these types may decrease in the future [2].A previously published study on M-serotyping of 142 S. pyogenes isolates from throat infections in Cologne, Germany, by Lütticken et al 1977 [14] reported a higher frequency of the scarlet fever serotypes M4 (26.1%) and M22 (11.3%) and a lower frequency of the serotypes M12 (8.1%) and M28 (0%).These findings suggest a change in the distribution of serotypes among strains from throat infections in northwestern Germany during the last two decades.…”

Age-associated differences in prevalence of group A streptococcal type-specific M antibodies in children

“…A classic definition of GAS colonization is an asymptomatic individual with a positive throat culture and no serologic response. However, some evidence suggests that there may be some acquisition of type-specific antibody after colonization, but that this does not afford long-term protection against homologous GAS carriage [2,3,10,13].…”