Abstract: | The parallel examination of osteomyelitis patients by means of the passive hemagglutination (PHA) test with the use of antigenic erythrocyte diagnostic agents, prepared on the basis of hydrochloric acid extract from Staphylococcus aureus strain 209P and teichoic acid extract from S. aureus strain Wood 46 has revealed that these diagnostic agents are practically equal in their diagnostic effectiveness. In the examination of endocarditis patients measurement of the total antibody activity in the PHA test with diagnosticum on the basis of strain 209P has proved to be a more sensitive method, whereas in osteomyelitis patients the total IgG activity has been more accurately measured by ELISA. The treatment of sera with 2-mercaptoethanol essentially decreased the diagnostic effectiveness of the PHA test. The study has shown the diagnostic value of not only IgG but also of IgM antibody measurements. |