title: [Serologic study in patients with streptococcal infective endocarditis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infective endocarditis is a systemic disease in which there are a continuously antigenic stimulation of immunologic system. Streptococcus is still the most frequent cause of infective endocarditis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the presence of antibody (AB), total and IgM by indirect immune fluorescence technique, in four groups of population: streptococcal infective endocarditis (SIE), streptococcal bacteraemia (SB), Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, and healthy people. Antigens used were: 1) their own strain isolated from the blood of patients with SIE and SB ¿homologous AB¿, and; 2) seven species of Streptococcus: Streptococcus intermedius, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus bovis, Streptococcus sanguis I, Streptococcus sanguis II, nutritional dependent streptococci and Enterococcus faecalis (heterologous AB).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Homologous antibodies: titers > or = 1/512 were found in all patients with SIE and only in 2 with SB (sensitivity 100% and specificity 93%). IgM titer (threshold 1/32) was positive only in patients with SIE (sensitivity 75,5% and specificity 100%). The fall of the AB titer was continuous and slow, despite the good clinical evolution of patients. (AB titers were > or = 1/512 and IgM > or = 1/64 in 30% of patients 1 year later). Heterologous AB: in spite of statistically significant difference found in SIE versus the other groups, sensitivity of this test (threshold 1/256) is low, confidence interval include expected random value (50%), specificity is 88%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The utility of homologous AB for diagnosing infective endocarditis is demonstrated. On the contrary for heterologous AB, antigenic common fractions must be found in the different species.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Microbiología y Parasitología, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Planes
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bermejo
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tornos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arcalís
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
vernacular_title: Estudio serológico en pacientes con endocarditis infecciosa estreptocócica.