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Delayed and Immediate Reactions to Bacterial Nucleoproteins in Asthma, Hay Fever, and in a Group of Miscellaneous Diseases

From the Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the Presbyterian Hospital, New York City

Abstract

The data in tables 1 and 2 show that immediate reactions to bacterial nucleoproteins in the groups of patients studied occur almost exclusively among those with hay fever and asthma. While it is possible that reactions of the immediate variety may be due to bacterial carbohydrates precipitated with the nucleoproteins, such an assumption seems improbable. Julianelle and his associates (2) have found that 12 per cent of normal patients react to the group specific (group A staphylococcus) carbohydrate of Staphylococcus aureus. Since less than 1 per cent of the patients in the control group has reacted to the nucleoprotein of Staphylococcus aureus this protein presumably contains carbohydrate in quantities insufficient to provoke immediate reactions in the average patient. Assuming that Julianelle is correct in the statement that carbohydrate from his group A staphylococcus causes immediate reactions if injected intracutaneously while similar responses are not obtained with the group B polysaccharide with these polysaccharides and the corresponding nucleoproteins, a differential experiment is possible. This experiment now under way will determine with finality whether the immediate reactions with the proteins are caused by the protein or by traces of carbohydrate inseparable from the nucleoprotein fraction. The evidence at hand indicates that the immediate reactions are caused by the protein and are peculiar to patients with hay fever and asthma.