[Cellular immune reactivity to streptolysin O and E. Coli in premature infants and prenatally dystrophic newborns].

A total of 62 neonates were examined by means of the in vitro lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) using streptolysin O and E. coli antigen with a view to determinating whether prematurely born babies and prenatally dystrophic neonates differ in their prenatal immunization by bacterial antigens or whether the immunological capabilities are different in the different groups examined. Positive controls with addition of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and negative blank controls were also used. The results were the same in the two groups of test subjects, suggesting prenatal antigen contact in 30 to 72 percent of all infants tested, but without statistically evident differences being observed between the groups.