The question of whether hypersensitivity to streptococcal antigens plays a role in the pathogenesis of the nonsuppurative sequelae of streptococcal infections remains at present unclear. As a first step in the approach to this question, the degree of cellular reactivity of peripheral blood leucocytes to streptococcal antigens was investigated in a number of rheumatic fever patients, patients with uncomplicated streptococcal infections, as well as normal healthy subjects.
Stanley E. Read, Vincent A. Fischetti, Virginia Utermohlen, Rudolf E. Falk, John B. Zabriskie