Changing types of nephritogenic streptococci in Trinidad

Elizabeth V. Potter; Jesse S. Ortiz; A. Richey Sharrett; Emma G. Burt; Juanita P. Bray; John F. Finklea; Theo Poon-King; David P. Earle

doi:10.1172/JCI106597

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Potter, E. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Ortiz, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Sharrett, A. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Burt, E. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Bray, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Finklea, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Poon-King, T. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

^{Streptococcal Disease Unit, General Hospital, San Fernando, Trinidad-Tobago}

^{Department of Medicine, Northwestern University-McGaw Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60611}

Find articles by Earle, D. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published in Volume 50, Issue 6 on June 1, 1971
J Clin Invest. 1971;50(6):1197–1205. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI106597.
© 1971 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published June 1, 1971 - Version history

The relation of seven different M types of streptococci to acute glomerulonephritis associated with skin lesions in South Trinidad has been studied by means of type-specific antibody assays as well as by isolation and identification of the strains. The data indicate that, one after another, five of these strains have prevailed among patients with acute glomerulonephritis during the past five years. At least three of the strains (M-types 55, 49, 57, and/or 60) were associated with epidemic increases in nephritis cases. The appearance of five consecutively predominant types of nephritogenic streptococci during a relatively short period of time is in contrast to the continuing prevalence of M-type 12 strains among nephritogenic streptococci primarily associated with respiratory infections in temperate zones. These observations suggest that the skin sores commonly found on children in tropical Trinidad, provide a particularly suitable environment for development of nephritogenic types. It remains to be seen whether these types will recur or whether new types will continue to emerge in Trinidad.

Images.