[Serologic indices of the persistence of L forms of group A streptococci in patients with rheumatism].

A study of 1343 rheumatic patients has shown that during acute disease high titres of antibodies to streptococcus L forms were detected in 76%, and were declining rapidly with clinical improvement. In protracted rheumatism, high antibody titres were maintained constantly in 70%; those were mostly IgM, incapable of blocking L-form growth. The antigen of streptococcus L form was only detected in 18-25% of the patients, obviously because it was bound to circulating immune complexes in 64%. It is suggested that streptococcal L forms are capable of prolonged persistence in the body, affecting the course of disease in rheumatic patients; possible persistence of L forms as part of immune complexes is of particular importance.