Abstract
ASO (antistreptolysin O), ASK (antistreptokinase), AHD (antihyaluronidase), SZ (streptozyme test), and Blue ASO titer were determined in paired specimens taken from 80 inpatients with scarlet fever. The sera were collected from patients three times at intervals in group 1 with a combination of ASO, ASK, AHD (23 cases) and SZ, while in 40 patients of group 2, with the combination of ASO, ASK and Blue ASO, respectively. The following results were obtained, in group 1, titers were found elevated, 55.0%, 42.5%, 45.0% and 17.4% of the cases in ASO, ASK, SZ and AHD respectively, whereas in the group 2, 47.5%, 42.5% and 75.0% of cases were elevated in ASO, ASK and Blue ASO, respectively. When ASO was determined in conjunction with ASK, AHD and SZ, the titers were elevated in 78.3% of the cases in group 1; whereas, when ASO, ASK and Blue ASO were combined and tested in group 2, 80.0% of cases were elevated. Blue ASO titers rose in the early stage of infection, and indicated an effective method for diagnosis of a disease with a short period of illness, such as scarlet fever. Diagnostic value of serological tests for scarlet fever will be increased by combining these plural tests.
