Teichoic Acid Antibodies in Staphylococcal and Nonstaphylococcal Endocarditis

Abstract

The prevalence of precipitating antibodies to ribitol teichoic acids in serums from patients with staphylococcal endocarditis and with endocarditis caused by other organisms was studied by double diffusion in agar gel plates. Serums from 14 of 15 patients with Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis contained teichoic acid antibodies. All serums obtained 4 or more days after onset of symptoms were positive. Precipitin tests were positive in most patients with positive blood cultures and in all those whose cultures had become negative with therapy. Teichoic-acid precipitins bands were visible 4 to 7 hours after antigens and serums were added to gel-diffusion plates. Precipitins were not found in serums from 75 patients without endocarditis or staphylococcal infection or in serums from 22 patients with nonstaphylococcal endocarditis. Precipitins were found, however, in serums from two of four patients with endocarditis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci.