[The determination of hemagglutinating antibodies with polyvalent E, coli O antigens in infections of the urinary tract in childhood (author's transl)].

42 sera from children with acute urinary tract infections and 71 sera from children with chronic recurrent urinary tract infections were examined for antibodies by means of indirect hemagglutination with eight different polyvalent O antigens from a total of 143 E. coli strains and compared with a control group from 142 children. 72% of the children with acute urinary tract infection had a raised antibody titer. On the other hand, the group with chronic recurrent urinary tract infection showed raised antibody titers in only 23% of cases. The method is suitable for random sample investigations and for observation of the course of the disease.