Profiles of fourteen specific serum proteins in children with recurrent scarlet fever.

Venous blood samples were obtained from 42 children hospitalized for the recurrent episode of scarlet fever: immediately after admission and toward the end of one week's hospitalisation, after a three-week period and at a later control after four months. The 14 specific proteins were simultaneously quantitated in the serum specimens using radial immunodiffusion on antibodyagar plates. Antistreptolysin O titres were also determined and compared with the corresponding immunoglobulin levels. However, the titres showed only minor differences in various stages of illness the course of which was mild and without complications. Serum levels of prealbumin, albumin, alpha2HS-glycoproetin, transferrin and beta 2-glycoprotein I were found decreased at the acute clinical stage. Of the "negative acute phase reactants" prealbumin proved to be the most expressive one. Of a triad of "positive reactants" the largest relative increments showed haptoglobin, its increase was twofold of orosomucoid and that threefold of ceruloplasmin. C-reactive protein was increased almost in two thirds of patients on admission, but normalized in all cases about the end of the first week of penicillin therapy. No significant changes were found for alpha 2-macroglobulin. We could demonstrate significant rise and fall of IgD concentration in serum together with IgG, IgA, and IgM, all manifested the peak values already after one week's hospitalisation. In the recurrent episode of scarlet fever IgA showed significantly minor increments compared with the first illness.