title: Culture-negative severe septic shock: indications for streptococcal aetiology based on plasma antibodies and superantigenic activity.
abstract: We present a severe septic shock syndrome patient with negative blood cultures. Acute and convalescent plasma samples from the patient were analysed for anti-streptolysin O titres, superantigen-neutralizing activity and presence of superantigenic activity. The plasma analyses implicated superantigen-producing Streptococcus pyogenes as the causative agent.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norrby-Teglund
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Berdal
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018089:Superantigens