title: Antistreptolysin O and antideoxyribonuclease B titres in blood donors and in patients with features of nonsuppurative sequelae of group A streptococcus infection in Tanzania.
abstract: Antistreptolysin O (ASO) and antideoxyribonuclease B (ADN B) titres were determined on sera from blood donors in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and from Bergen, Norway and were compared with titres in patients with features of postgroup A streptococcal diseases in Dar es Salaam. The upper limit of normal ASO titres in Dar es Salaam was 200 mu/ml and for ADN B it was 300 u/ml while in Bergen the upper limit of normal ASO titre was 250 u/ml and that of ADN B was 100 u/ml. Titres of ASO in Dar es Salaam and Bergen were consistent with those from sub-Saharan Africa and from other continents. Upper limit of normal ADN B titres in adults in Dar es Salaam were higher than those in Bergen probably due to higher frequencies of group A streptococcal skin infections in Dar es Salaam than in Bergen. Patients with features of postgroup A streptococcal diseases in Dar es Salaam had antibody titres above the upper limits of normal in 32.8% of the patients for ASO and in 45.9% for ADN B. ASO and ADN B titres or ASO and any other reliable test for antibody to group A streptococcus should be utilised together in providing strong evidence of recent infection with the group A streptococcus or of postgroup A streptococcal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Mhalu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D000989:Antistreptolysin / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; C026904:deoxyribonucleoprotein antibodies; D000989:Antistreptolysin