SIgA- and IgG-coated Streptococcus pyogenes on the tonsillar surfaces during acute tonsillitis.
Bacterial swabs were collected from the tonsillar surfaces of eight patients with current acute tonsillitis, culture-positive for Streptococcus pyogenes. Using gold-labelled antiserum to S. pyogenes, these micro-organisms could be localized in the samples by transmission electron microscopy. S. pyogenes pathogens were further characterized with gold-labelled antiserum to human IgG and SIgA antibodies. Roughly 90% of the pathogens were found coated with IgG antibodies, irrespective of the duration of the disease, whereas the proportion of SIgA-coated pathogens increased with disease duration. Insufficient IgA coating of pathogens might well be a contributory cause of the induction of tonsillar infection, probably due to inadequate prevention of the attachment of the S. pyogenes bacteria to the tonsillar surface epithelium.
Lilja
M
M
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tromsø, Norway.
Silvola
J
J
Bye
H M
HM
Räisänen
S
S
Stenfors
L E
LE
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D007074:Immunoglobulin G