A bacteriological and/or immunological study of anaerobic streptococcal infection in chronic tonsillitis, paratonsillitis and periodontitis patients.

Anaerobic streptococci were isolated from 100% of tonsil tissue samples obtained from 36 chronic tonsillitis patients. The strains displayed antigenic and other differences. Sera of chronic tonsillitis, paratonsillitis and periodontitis patients exhibited significantly more often, and in significantly higher titres, antibodies to the anaerobic streptococci isolated from tonsils than did sera of normal persons.