Abstract
Summary and conclusions
A technically simple agglutination test for detection and titration of an unidentified anti-staphylococcal factor, presumably antibody, in human and animal sera is described. By this test variable titers have been found to occur naturally in sera of animals and of man. Agglutinins are present in large amount in pooled human gamma globulin and in insignificant amounts in a single agammaglobulinemic serum. Titers of this factor can be increased by treatment of both animals and man with a staphylococcal vaccine. The suggestion is made that this factor is an antibody on the basis of a) its presence in antibody bearing fraction of blood b) its heat stability c) ability to adsorb it semiquantitatively with coagulase-positive staphylococci and d) ability to elevate titers in rabbits and man by use of staphylococcal vaccine as antigen. Preliminary observations do not enable us to identify the factor being measured by the agglutination test nor assess its clinical significance.
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