Increased frequency of high serum IgM among mothers of infants with neonatal group-B streptococcal septicemia.
Total serum IgM levels were studied in 84 mothers of infants with group-B streptococcal (GBS) septicemia/meningitis and compared to IgM concentrations in 91 parturients who were urogenital carriers of GBS but nevertheless gave birth to healthy infants. In all, 22 (27%) in the study group showed IgM levels above the arbitrarily selected limit of 2.40 g/l, in contrast to 12 (13%) of 91 controls (p = 0.02). Among the study group members whose infants were infected with GBS type III, 8 of 34 (24%) were high in serum IgM, compared to only 2 of 34 (6%) of the corresponding controls (p = 0.04). The total serum IgG levels did not differ between the two groups.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008581:Meningitis / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M