Streptococcal antibody is an antibody against the bacterial species Streptococcus. These can be divided into α-, β-, and γ-streptococci. The β-streptococci can in turn be subdivided into groups A through W. The best known are:
- Streptococcus pyogenes (group A) – especially in scarlet fever, pharyngitis (pharyngitis) or erysipelas (erysipelas).
- Streptococcus agalactiae (group B) – especially in wound or urinary tract infections or neonatal infections.
- Oral streptococci (viridans streptococci) – especially in appendicitis (appendicitis), endocarditis (endocarditis) or caries.
- Enterococci (group D) – especially in urinary tract or wound infections.
- Pneumococci – especially in pneumonia (pneumonia) or meningitis (meningitis).
Subsequent diseases after streptococcal infection are rheumatic fever, chorea minor and glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the renal corpuscles).
One can distinguish different tests for suspected streptococcal infection:
- Antistreptolysin O (ASL).
- Anti-DNAse B (ASNB)
- Antihyaluronidase
All of these tests are considered for diagnostic workup in group A streptococcal infection.
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- Not necessary
Disruptive factors
- Not known
Standard values
| Test | Normal value |
| ASL | ≤ 200 IU/ml |
| ASNB | ≤ 200 IU/ml (adults) ≤ 75 IU/ml (children) |
| Antihyaluronidase | ≤ 300 IU/ml |
Indications
- Suspected sequelae after streptococcal infection such as.
- Arthritis (inflammation of the joints)
- Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the renal corpuscles).
- Carditis (inflammation of the heart)
- Rheumatic fever
- Suspected acute streptococcal infection such as pharyngitis (pharyngitis), tonsillitis (tonsillitis), otitis media (otitis media), etc.
- Skin infections such as erysipelas (erysipelas; purulent infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (subcutis)), impetigo contagiosa (bork lichen; pus lichen; by streptococci of serogroup A triggered highly contagious, superficial infection of the skin).
- Suspected embryopathy – damage to the embryo.
- Suspicion of immunodeficiency
- Suspicion of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels)
Interpretation
Interpretation of increased values
- Skin infections such as erysipelas
- Rheumatic fever with chorea minor, carditis, or glomerulonephritis
