title: Waning significance of anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titres in diagnosing streptococcal infections in Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: A total of 200 serum specimens comprising 100 specimens from patients with streptococcal disease conditions, 50 from patients with other diseases and another 50 specimens from apparently healthy individuals were collected from Lagos University Teaching Hospital and from various areas of Lagos metropolis and screened for the presence of anti-streptolysin O (ASO). For streptococcal disease conditions, other diseases and for apparently healthy persons, anti-streptolysin O titres above 250 iu/ml recorded for each category of clinical conditions in terms of the number examined were 34%, 36% and 28% respectively. It is therefore suggested that high anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titres occur in apparently healthy individuals with no history of streptococcal infection and individuals with disease conditions other than those of streptococcal origin. Consequently the diagnosis of streptococcal diseases based on high titres of ASO in Lagos, is not pathognomonic, should be interpreted with caution and must not be definitive since healthy individuals and others without streptococcal infections develop high ASO titres.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Anyiwo
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Nnaja
mesh_terms: D000989:Antistreptolysin / Q000032:analysis*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D009549:Nigeria; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000989:Antistreptolysin