title: Streptococcus pyogenes streptolysin O as a cause of false-positive CAMP reactions.
abstract: The synergistic hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes in the CAMP reaction by the sequential action of staphylococcal beta-lysin and the CAMP factor of group B streptococci is the only known function of this extracellular product of group B streptococci. The reaction forms the basis of the CAMP test used to identify group B streptococci because the CAMP factor is believed to be restricted to this group of organisms. However, on occasion other streptococci, notably group A streptococci, may produce a similar synergistic lysis of sheep erythrocytes. The nature of the synergistic lytic factor of group A streptococci responsible for this sequential hemolysis was investigated in a tube CAMP reaction system. The properties of this synergistic lytic factor were found to correspond to those of streptolysin O of group A streptococci. The synergistic lytic factor, like streptolysin O, was produced during the logarithmic phase of growth; the activity was increased by reducing agents and greatly decreased or abolished by heat, trypsin, cholesterol, and anti-streptolysin O, and it was immunogenic in rabbits. This would suggest that the synergistic hemolysis seen in the CAMP reaction system with group A streptococci is due to the action of those small amounts of streptolysin O which remain unoxidized and thus have a capacity to lyse the fragile beta-lysin-treated sheep erythrocytes.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013301:Streptolysins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D001798:Blood Proteins; C039092:CAMP protein, Streptococcus; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D013301:Streptolysins; C011679:beta lysin, human; C025964:streptolysin O; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; C029878:hlb protein, Staphylococcus aureus