Influence of Specific Antiserum on the Inflammatory Fixation of Streptococcus hemolyticus.

Abstract

ConclusionInflammatory fixation is promptly induced in acute local streptococcus inflammation in the presence of streptococcus antiserum, in contrast with the marked delay in fixation in the presence of normal serum.The experiment presented above has been repeated on several occasions. Five different strains of Streptococcus hemolyticus, and 4 different commercial brands of polyvalent so-called antitoxic-antibacterial streptococcus antisera have been used with essentially identical results.The data given above suggest that the factor produced by Streptococcus hemolyticus which is responsible for the active suppression of the formation of the local inflammatory barrier is antigenic and is readily neutralized by streptococcus antiserum. A possible alternative explanation is that the inflammatory fixation is part of an Arthus phenomenon due to the introduction of a mixture of antigen and antibody into the skin. However, in view of the ability of the “inhibitory factor” to suppress fixation in other types of ...