Skin Reactions to Scarlatinal Streptococcus Filtrate in New-Born Infants and Their Mothers.

Abstract

Observations on over 150 infants during the first 2 weeks of life, and their mothers, were made by noting (1) the reaction of the skin to 2, 20 and 50 standard skin test doses of scarlatinal toxin, (2) the occurrence of antitoxin in the blood of a number of these infants and their mothers, and (3) later skin tests on a number of the same infants between the ages of 6 weeks and 2 months. It was found that the skin of infants in the first 2 weeks of life does not react to small amounts (2 S. T. D.) of toxin, only one instance of a positive reaction having been observed. With larger amounts (20 and 50 S. T. D.) only a small proportion (about one-eighth) show positive reactions, and the mothers of these babies in practically every instance have positive reactions to two skin test doses. It was quite exceptional for an infant to give a positive reaction to 20 or 50 S. T. D. if the mother was negative to 2 S. T. D. The presence of antitoxin in infant's serum had no relation to the infant's skin test, but is associated with the presence of antitoxin in the mother's blood. No antitoxin was demonstrated in infants of mothers who reacted to 2 S. T. D., but it was rather constantly present in infants whose mothers gave negative reactions to 2 S. T. D., even though skin tests with larger amounts were positive. On later examination of the infants at the age of 6 weeks to 2 months, the skin reaction had become positive in certain babies, to the larger amounts (20 to 50 S. T. D.) of toxin and occasionally to 2 S. T. D.