title: Age-related variations in anti-streptococcal antibody levels.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to determine the upper 95% confidence limits (CL) for titres of antibodies to streptolysin O (ASO) and streptococcal DNase B (ADNB) using 741 sera from a general population. The ASO titres in sera from children increased abruptly with increasing age, from a mean of 21 (CL 67) in infants of 3 years or less to 211 (CL 462) in children 7 to 8 years old. In children 9 to 12 years of age titres exhibited a plateau with mean values of 168-258 (CL 436-611). In individuals over 20 years the mean ASO titre diminished with increasing age, individuals of 70 years or more showing a mean titre of 83 (CL 169). A similar variation was seen for ADNB. Infants 3 years of age or younger exhibited no detectable ADNB whereas individuals 70 years or more had a mean titre of 11 (CL 91). A maximal mean ADNB titre of 184 (CL 706) was detected in 9-year-old-children. It was concluded that age-related reference values for anti-streptococcal antibodies increase the clinical relevance of the tests.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Renneberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Söderström
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prellner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forsgren
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013301:Streptolysins; C025964:streptolysin O; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; C020069:deoxyribonuclease B